The Congress party has strongly reacted to the Supreme Court-accepted revised 100-meter definition of the Aravalli Hills. The party has alleged that this definition, approved under the Modi government, effectively excludes nearly 90% of the Aravalli Hills and opens the door for large-scale mining in a region considered ecologically sensitive. According to the Congress, this change threatens the future of the Aravallis and weakens long-standing environmental safeguards.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has taken the lead in attacking the Centre. He accused the Modi government of engineering a “well-planned conspiracy” to dilute protections and allow mining in the Aravalli region. Gehlot argued that the redefinition should not be viewed as an isolated administrative move. Instead, he claimed, “this is part of a larger design to capture institutions and hand over the Aravallis to the mining mafia.”

Gehlot also rejected the clarification given by Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, who stated that only 0.10% of the Aravalli area would be opened for mining. Calling this explanation misleading, Gehlot alleged institutional manipulation and said, “The CEC, formed in 2002 under the Supreme Court’s supervision to protect forests, has now been turned into a government puppet. Earlier, its members were appointed with the Court’s approval. Today, the Centre controls appointments, reducing the CEC to a rubber stamp.”

These sharp allegations form the backbone of the Congress party’s current campaign, which presents the revised definition as a direct threat to the Aravalli ecosystem.

Gehlot’s 100-Meter Stand Then and Now

Ashok Gehlot’s present position has also drawn attention to his own record while in power. Critics point out that the Congress party, and Gehlot in particular, have a history of supporting policies while in government and opposing similar measures once out of office. This pattern is being highlighted once again in the Aravalli debate.

While Gehlot today accuses BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Rajasthan of conspiring to hand over the Aravalli Hills to mining mafias, the record shows that in 2002, when Gehlot was Chief Minister, his government itself sought to open the Aravallis for mining. That year, the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court stating that it had sent proposals to the Central government for “diversion of forest land for mining purposes in respect of 1543 cases.”

At present, the Congress party demands a complete ban on mining in the Aravalli Hills. However, the 2002 affidavit submitted by the same party in Rajasthan painted a very different picture. The affidavit openly argued that mining was essential for employment and economic stability in the state.

The Gehlot government stated at the time, “Mining sector provides and generates employment for a very large number of people and therefore it would be difficult for them to sustain themselves, during this difficult period, if mining is prohibited in the entire Aravalli hills. It may also be mentioned herein that a large proportion of tribal population live in the Aravalli hills and stopping of mining operations would deprive them of an important source of livelihood.”

The affidavit further warned of economic damage, saying, “That the State Government submits that the ban imposed on all mining activities would severely affect the state economy as minerals produced in the referred areas and economic activities dependent on these minerals and mining operations play very critical role in the economy of the State.”

The document provided detailed figures to support this argument. It highlighted that there were over 5,000 mining leases and 641 quarry licenses across 14 districts where the Aravalli Hills are located. According to the affidavit, these operations provided direct employment to more than 1.75 lakh people, while over 6 lakh people earned their livelihood through related activities such as transportation, machinery handling, mineral processing, and trading.

It further stated, “Moreover, if mining in Aravalli areas is stopped then about 9700 industrial units having investment of about Rs. 884 crores and which provide direct employment to about 64000 people, would adversely be affected in 14 districts where Arravali hills are located. Not only this, other mineral based industrial units of the state which obtain raw material from mines under reference would also be affected.”

These excerpts, taken directly from the affidavit, underline that the Congress government in 2002 clearly prioritised economic considerations over environmental concerns. The focus was on rich mineral deposits such as Rock Phosphate, Zinc, Wollastonite, and other resources. At the time, the emphasis was on protecting the state’s economy rather than the ecology of the Aravallis.

Mining Permissions and Political Turnarounds

Ashok Gehlot now claims that his government supported the CEC-recommended 100-meter definition in 2002 with a “livelihood perspective.” However, critics argue that this livelihood argument remains relevant even today. Allowing mining in a small fraction of land, including the much-discussed 0.019% area, could still generate employment. Yet, according to the Congress’s current stance, any mining under a BJP government is portrayed as a conspiracy.

It is also noted that the Gehlot-led Congress government issued the highest number of mining permissions based on the same 100-meter definition that he now opposes. Reports indicate that more than 700 mining permissions were granted during his tenure.

In an interview with India Today, Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav stated that out of 1,008 mines operating in Rajasthan, “700 mines were set up under Ashok Gehlot.” He further added that mining leases were issued indiscriminately under the Congress government, a situation that eventually drew the attention of the Supreme Court and resulted in a stay.

A March 2024 report by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) also highlighted that illegal mining in the Aravallis has been a long-standing problem. The Supreme Court had already noted in 2010 that mining lease holders continued operations even after their leases had expired.

Reacting to Gehlot’s renewed criticism, BJP leader Arun Chaturvedi said, “I am surprised that Gehlot himself, when he was CM in 2002, and his government was in power, gave his consent to this very issue. Today, he is raising the issue again, stirring up trouble unnecessarily.” He further pointed out that since mining is prohibited in 98% of the Aravallis, “there is no justification for politicising this issue at this stage…”

The political backdrop of this controversy has also drawn scrutiny. After the Congress’s claims of “vote chori,” prominently raised by Rahul Gandhi, failed to gain traction, the party appears to have shifted focus to the Aravalli issue. Sonia Gandhi also joined the debate by writing an op-ed in The Hindu on 3 December, where she claimed that the Modi government has “signed a death warrant” for the Aravalli Hills.

She wrote, “The Modi Government has now nearly signed a death warrant for these hills, already denuded by illegal mining. It has declared that any hills in the range with an elevation of less than 100 metres are not subject to the strictures against mining. It is an open invitation for illegal miners and mafias to finish off 90% of the range which falls below the height limit set by the Government.”

Supreme Court Decision and Government Clarifications

The current debate began after the Supreme Court, on 20 November 2025, approved the operational definition of the Aravalli Hills as provided by the Ministry of Environment. The revised definition states, “Any landform located in the Aravalli districts, having an elevation of 100 metres or more from the local relief, shall be termed as Aravalli Hills.”

It also defines the Aravalli Range as, “Two or more Aravalli Hills, as defined above, located within a proximity of 500m from each other, measured from the outermost point on the boundary of the lowest contour line on either side forms Aravalli Range.”

Along with this, the apex court directed the Centre to map the region carefully and prepare a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM).

As social media campaigns like #SaveAravalli gained momentum, the Modi government clarified that neither 90% of the Aravallis would lose protection nor would the hills be handed over to mining mafias. The government stressed that the 100-meter rule refers to elevation above local relief, not the top 100 meters of a hill.

It was also pointed out that Rajasthan itself has followed a similar definition since 9 January 2006, based on a 2002 state committee report using Richard Murphy’s landform classification. The Centre reiterated that no new mining leases would be granted until the MPSM is finalised by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).

On 21 December, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) stated that mining remains fully prohibited in protected areas, eco-sensitive zones, tiger reserves, wetlands, and CAMPA plantation sites. This was followed by another statement on 24 December, announcing a “complete Ban on the Grant of any New Mining Leases in the Aravallis.”

The ministry clarified, “This prohibition applies uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape and is intended to preserve the integrity of the range. The directions are aimed at safeguarding the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge extending from Gujarat to the National Capital Region, and at stopping all unregulated mining activities.”

Why the Aravalli Hills Are Important

The Aravalli range is approximately 2.5 billion years old and stretches from Gujarat through Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. Its highest peak is Guru Shikhar (1,722 metres) in Mount Abu. The Delhi Ridge, often described as the capital’s “green wall” or “green lungs,” is also part of the Aravalli system.

Without the Aravallis, the Thar Desert could slowly expand eastward into Haryana, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh. Because of this, the range acts as a natural barrier against desertification.

From regulating hot winds and maintaining groundwater levels to housing rich mineral reserves and diverse wildlife, the Aravallis play a vital role. They are also the source of important rivers such as the Chambal, Sabarmati, and Luni.

Politics of Convenience

While illegal mining in protected zones must be strictly prevented, the current political debate suggests that the Aravallis have become another tool for political point-scoring. The shift in Congress’s stance, particularly Ashok Gehlot’s change from supporting mining in 2002 to opposing it today, highlights a pattern seen in other issues as well, including the Hanumangarh ethanol plant project.

The ethanol plant was approved by the Congress government in 2023, but once the BJP came to power and continued the project, the same initiative was labelled as corporate favoritism. This recurring pattern strengthens the perception that outrage often depends on who holds power rather than on consistent policy principles.