Asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statements at the G20 Summit and other global conferences over climate change were a ‘sheer hypocrisy’, the Congress Party has hit out at the Centre and said that the “global talk” is completely at odds from the “local walk”.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, in an official statement, accused the Modi government of comprehensively dismantling India’s environmental protections and snatching away the rights of the most vulnerable communities dependent on forests.

“The PM’s statements at the G20 and other summits globally are sheer hypocrisy. While destroying protections for India’s forests and biodiversity, and diluting the rights of Adivasis and forest-dwelling communities, he talks of environment, climate action and equity. The ‘Global Talk’ is completely at odds from the Local Walk,” Jairam Ramesh said.

Coming down heavily on PM Modi, the Congress MP said that he used the G20 Summit to make ‘big and empty’ statements about the importance of the environment.

“During a Doordarshan chat with students in 2014, the Prime Minister said—‘The climate has not changed, we have changed.’ The self-styled Vishwaguru has come a long way in hypocrisy. The Prime Minister has used the G20 Summit to make big, empty statements about the importance of the environment. At the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Meet, he said, –‘We have consistently been at the forefront in taking action on biodiversity conservation, protection, restoration, and enrichment. Protecting and caring for Mother Earth is our fundamental responsibility.’ He (Modi) also said that—‘Climate action must follow antyodaya… we must ensure the rise and development of the last person in society.’ The truth is, the Modi Government is comprehensively dismantling India’s environmental protections and snatching away the rights of the most vulnerable communities dependent on forests,” the Congress leader added.

G20 countries on Saturday said they will aim to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 and expedite efforts to phase down coal power in line with national circumstances but did not commit to a phase-out of all polluting fossil fuels, including oil and gas.

Further, the statement said the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023, was a “massive dilution” of the original law’s provisions, and that it “enabled the Modi government to continue the reckless destruction of biodiversity across India”.

“In contrast to the PM’s claims of biodiversity conservation, the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act of 2023 is a massive dilution of the original 2002 law. The 2023 Act does away with any criminal offence provisions, allowing those who destroy biodiversity and engage in biopiracy to get away scot-free. The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), formerly an independent body with the powers to act as a check and balance, has been completely put under the control of the Environment Ministry,” he added.

Jairam Ramesh also criticised the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023.

“Further, the claims of emphasizing equity are shown to be completely hollow by the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act of 2023. This Act will be disastrous for the Adivasi and other forest-dwelling communities in India, as it undermines the Forest Rights Act of 2006. It does away with provisions for the consent of local communities and requirements for forest clearance in vast areas. The National Commission on Scheduled Tribes raised objections to this in 2022,” the Congress MP said.

He further said that the Act “is only paving the way for the Modi government to exploit forests and hand them over to a few select crony capitalist friends”.

“Tribal communities in the Northeast are particularly vulnerable, as this Act will strip protections from forests within 100km of the nation’s borders. Despite being under NDA rule, Mizoram has passed a resolution in the Assembly opposing the Act and Nagaland is soon expected to do the same. The new law removes protections for up to 25 per cent of India’s forest cover, in violation of the 1996 TN Godavarman Supreme Court judgment. It is only paving the way for the Modi government to exploit forests and hand them over to a select few crony capitalist friends,” the statement issued by the Congress MP added.