Ramesh writes to Oram, flags 'flagrant violation" of rights of tribals in Great Nicobar Project

NEW DELHI: (May 13) Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote to Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on Wednesday, flagging "flagrant violation" of the rights of tribal communities in the Great Nicobar Island Project and sought remedial action immediately.

In his letter to Oram, the former environment minister termed as "entirely false" the assertion in the government FAQs issued on May 1 that all statutory procedures and policy safeguards for the protection of tribal communities were duly complied with in the project.

"The Great Nicobar Project: FAQs issued by the Union Government on May 1, 2026 stated that 'all statutory procedures and policy safeguards for the protection of tribal communities have been duly complied with in the Great Nicobar Island Project. Necessary consultations were undertaken with competent authorities and domain experts, including the Anthropological Survey of India, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and other stakeholders, in line with the Jarawa Policy, 2004, and Shompen Policy, 2015. This is entirely false," Ramesh said.