NEW DELHI (Kashmir English): The Indian Youth Congress in India has announced a movement named “Aravalli Satyagraha Yatra” to protect a mountain range.
According to Indian media reports, in this regard, Indian Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib officially released the Yatra poster during a press conference and informed about the objectives of the movement.
Following the Supreme Court’s new definition of the Aravalli mountain range, protests have begun in various parts of North India.
What is Aravalli?
It is worth noting that Aravalli is considered one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, extending across Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the capital Delhi.
Peaceful protests have begun in Gurugram, Udaipur, and other cities, involving local residents, farmers, environmental activists, lawyers, and some political parties.
Neelam Ahluwalia, founding member of the “People for Aravalli” group, told the BBC that the new definition could undermine Aravalli’s fundamental role in preventing desert expansion in northwestern India, recharging groundwater, and protecting people’s livelihoods.
Indian media reports state that the public is protesting against the Modi government’s alleged move to eliminate the Aravalli mountain range.
According to the report, Uday Bhanu Chib said that the “Aravalli Satyagraha Yatra” will continue from January 7 to 20, starting from Gujarat, passing through Rajasthan and Haryana, and concluding in Delhi.
He said this Yatra will be more than a thousand kilometers long, and its purpose is not just to cover the distance but to convey the commitment to save the Aravalli mountain range to the public.
Indian Supreme Court
According to the Supreme Court’s new definition, only those hills that are at least 100 meters higher than their surrounding area will be considered part of Aravalli, which has raised serious concerns among environmental experts and the local population.
Uday Bhanu Chib said that Aravalli is actually connected to trees, water, mountains, and the future of coming generations, and its protection is our collective responsibility, which will not be abandoned under any circumstances.
During the press conference, the Indian Youth Congress also clarified the demands of the Yatra. According to Uday Bhanu Chib, the organization demands that the 100-meter limit in the Aravalli range be abolished and that it be declared a critical ecological zone.
The Supreme Court’s orders should be reviewed, the government should withdraw its current proposal, and a complete ban on mining in the Aravalli range should be imposed.
Criticizing the central government, he said that the Modi government itself had proposed to the Supreme Court that mountains less than 100 meters high should be excluded from the Aravalli range.
He alleged that previously a Supreme Court committee monitored mining, which the Modi government dissolved, and subsequently, this proposal was sent through the Ministry of Environment.
According to the report, Uday Bhanu Chib claimed that so far, 50 new mining projects have been approved in the Aravalli area, even though the Supreme Court had prohibited the expansion of such mining in 2010.
He alleged that later, the BJP government of Rajasthan re-permitted previously closed mining by collecting fees.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s order, he said that the court has clarified that new mining can only take place if the government presents a formal proposal, and also that mining in the Aravalli range can only be allowed if ‘rare earth metals’ are found there.
On this occasion, he questioned whether these resources would also be handed over to the Modi government’s close industrialists.
Finally, speaking to the media, Uday Bhanu Chib said that as a responsible citizen, the Indian Youth Congress will continue to raise its voice for justice, and this struggle will continue until their demands are met.
