Flame of hope flickers: Congress after Supreme Court rejects Centre’s plea on Nicobar petitions in Calcutta High Court

The Congress on Monday (October 5, 2026) welcomed the Supreme Court rejecting the Centre's challenge to a Calcutta High Court order which upheld the maintainability of a PIL alleging violations of the Forest Rights Act in obtaining consent for the Great Nicobar Island project, and said the flame of hope for ecological wisdom still flickers.

The Opposition party's reaction came after the Supreme Court refused to entertain the Centre's plea against the Calcutta High Court order upholding the maintainability of PILs alleging violations of the Forest Rights Act in obtaining consent for the Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana dismissed the Centre's plea while noting that the matter was already pending before the High Court and is scheduled to come up for hearing on November 25 and 26.

It asked the High Court to hear the matter including all pending petitions on the date fixed itself.

Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Supreme Court has just rejected the Narendra Modi government's ploy and plea.

"This is to be welcomed. Now the matter will be taken up as originally scheduled in the Calcutta High Court on November 25-26. The flame of hope for ecological wisdom still flickers," the former Environment Minister said on X.

Last week, the Congress had slammed the Modi government for its "astonishing U-turn" of moving the Supreme Court to stay all proceedings in the Calcutta High Court on petitions against the Great Nicobar Island Project, and alleged that it is mindlessly going ahead with inflicting an "ecological disaster" on the country.

The Congress party has repeatedly criticised the project, arguing that the proposed transhipment port at Galathea Bay could trigger large-scale ecological damage, including destruction of coral colonies.

Mr. Ramesh has also urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to reconsider the rejection of a full expansion of the INS Baaz runway and has asked Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram to ensure that the provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 are implemented in both letter and spirit.