"When all the 12 palli sabhas resolved against the mining in the hill, where was the question of Rahul influencing the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF)?", said Prafulla Samantara, a social activist. Samantara led the anti-mining movement in Niyamgiri hill along with Dongaria Kandhas, inhabitants of the hill spread over Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. "MoEF had no option but to deny the environment clearance for bauxite mining on Niyamagiri hill after tribals voted against the mining plan. The ministry's decision was as per the order of the apex court of the country", said Bhala Chandra Sarangi, advisor of Niyamagiri Surakhya Samiti (NSS), the tribal organisation spearheading the anti-mining agitation on Niyamagiri hill.
NSS convener Lingaraj Azad said, "The mining proposal over Niyamagiri was stalled after the prolonged agitation by the particularly vulnerable tribal groups of the area and Supreme Court's order. Rahul (Gandhi) had no hand in influencing the ministry's decision".
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"Rahul's views on the Vedanta matter were conveyed to me by his office and I took great care to ensure that the interests of tribals were protected and hence, rejected the environment clearance for Vedanta, despite tremendous pressure from my Cabinet colleagues and criticism from industry for what was described as stalling Rs 30,000-crore investment", Natarajan had said recently, opening up a can of political worms. In its April 18, 2013 order on the proposed Niyamgiri bauxite mining project (BMP), the Supreme Court (SC) held that if the BMP, in any way, affects the religious rights of Dongaria Kandha, Kutia Kandha and others, especially their right to worship their deity, known as Niyam Raja, in the hill top of the Niyamgiri range of hills, that right has to be preserved and protected.
The apex court had left it to the local tribals to decide the fate of the mining project and whether the project affected their religious right of worshipping Niyam Raja at Hundaljali, about 10 km from the site of mining.