Odisha’s non-Congress parties on Friday lapped up former Union Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan’s statement that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had put pressure on her to deny environment clearance for bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri Hills by Vedanta Aluminium.BJD spokesperson Rabi Narayan Nanda said, "What Natarajan has said exposes the conspiracy of the UPA to destroy the economy of Odisha. Vedanta came here to set up an industry and

create jobs. The cancellation of the forest clearance was a big jolt to Vedanta and it almost came to closure."BJP spokesperson Suresh Pujari said, "It is well-known that Rahul and Sonia were extra-constitutional authorities in the Government and used to influence its decisions."However, AICC secretary and former Rajya Sabha member Ramachandra Khuntia and former Nabarangpur Congress MP Pradeep Majhi stated that there was nothing illogical in taking a decision in accordance with the party’s public stand.

Majhi said, "I think Rahulji might have spoken to her (Natarajan) about the Vedanta issue at Niyamgiri. I see nothing wrong in it. He had visited the hills and had assured the Dongria tribals to defend their rights (to protect the hills’ environment) in Delhi. Corporates can’t just take over all the hills and displace people from their homeland for the sake of money." Khuntia said the decision against environment clearance for mining in the Niyamgiri Hills only reflected the Congress’ declared stand against going against the tribals’ interests.