The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday mounted a sharp attack on the central government over the Aravalli Hills controversy, accusing the BJP of placing commercial and business interests above environmental protection. In a strongly worded post on X, the party alleged that the Modi government was determined to destroy the Aravalli range to benefit the mining mafia, warning that the destruction of the hills would directly threaten people’s lives and environmental security.
AAP’s criticism comes amid rising unease over a recent Supreme Court ruling that redefined what constitutes the Aravalli Hills, a move that critics argue could significantly weaken legal safeguards for the ancient mountain range. The party and several environmental groups fear that the revised definition may open the door for large-scale industrial and mining activities in previously protected areas.
The controversy intensified after the Supreme Court, on November 20, 2025, accepted recommendations made by a committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. Under the new framework, an “Aravalli Hill” is defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts that rises 100 metres or more above its local relief, while an “Aravalli Range” is described as a cluster of two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other.
Environmentalists and opposition leaders have warned that this narrower definition could strip legal protection from nearly 90 per cent of one of the world’s oldest mountain systems, making vast stretches vulnerable to mining, construction and industrial exploitation. They argue that such large-scale alteration would have irreversible ecological consequences.
Public anger over the issue spilled onto the streets on Monday, with protests breaking out in cities such as Jodhpur, Udaipur and Sikar. The demonstrations led to clashes with the police, and in Jodhpur, authorities used baton charges and detained several protesters to control the situation.
Earlier in the day, AAP National Media In-charge Anurag Dhanda cautioned that allowing the removal or degradation of the Aravalli Hills would further aggravate Delhi’s already severe air pollution crisis. He said the range acts as a natural barrier against desertification and dust storms, and weakening it would have far-reaching consequences for air quality and public health in the National Capital Region.
Responding to clarifications issued by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Dhanda accused the BJP-led government of deliberately pushing a plan designed to dismantle the Aravalli range in favour of industrialists, rather than prioritising environmental protection or public welfare. He alleged that the government was using technical definitions to justify environmentally damaging decisions.
Dhanda also pointed out that a similar attempt to redefine the Aravalli Hills had been rejected by the Supreme Court in 2010. He questioned why the same proposal had resurfaced now, suggesting that powerful commercial interests were driving the renewed push. According to him, the government first reintroduced the proposal, secured its approval, and is now defending it under the guise of regulation.
Describing the move as a “major conspiracy,” Dhanda warned that permitting the removal of hills below the 100-metre threshold could trigger severe ecological damage. He said such actions would dramatically worsen pollution levels in Delhi and surrounding regions, while causing long-term harm to biodiversity, groundwater recharge and climate resilience.
The issue has since sparked widespread debate on social and digital media, with environmental activists, experts and NGOs voicing concern over the future of the Aravalli range. Many have called for stronger protections and greater transparency, warning that the damage to one of India’s most ecologically significant landscapes could be both permanent and catastrophic.
