On World Environment Day, Mallikarjun Kharge, the President of the Indian National Congress, condemned the Modi government for its alleged role in extensive deforestation and the erosion of environmental governance. He stated that nearly 1,91,922 hectares of forest have been cleared over the past 11 years, with 1.6 crore trees lost since 2014. Kharge highlighted specific projects, including the Great Nicobar project, which threatens around 10 lakh trees, and various mining and infrastructure activities across states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh that are contributing to significant ecological damage. He criticized the government's manipulation of definitions regarding forest cover, arguing that it conflates natural forests with plantations, thereby obscuring the reality of biodiversity loss. Furthermore, he accused the Modi administration of dismantling critical environmental protections established under previous governments, asserting that a sustainable future requires genuine respect for ecological integrity and local community partnerships.