Jaipur, Dec. 24 -- The BJP on Tuesday rejected Congress allegations on the Aravalli mining issue, accusing the opposition of spreading "lies and confusion" to mislead the public. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, BJP spokespersons Ramlal Sharma and Kailash Verma reiterated that not a single stone of the Aravalli range would be harmed under the BJP government. Sharma said the Congress had a "long-standing habit" of appeasement politics and creating misinformation among the public. He alleged that Congress leaders had earlier misled people on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the Special Investment Region (SIR), and were now attempting to incite panic over Aravalli mining. "On behalf of the BJP-led Bhajan Lal Sharma government, I assure the people of Rajasthan that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not even a single stone of the Aravalli will be damaged," Sharma said. He added that both state and central governments were committed to defining the Aravalli protected zone and enforcing a total ban on illegal mining. "Until a comprehensive plan based on the new definition is finalised, no new mining leases will be issued," he said. Sharma said it was the Congress government in 2002 that had defined the Aravalli region and issued the maximum number of mining leases during its tenure. It had also introduced the 100-metre rule, under which mining continued for years. "Under the new 2025 rules, any area within a 500-m radius of the Aravalli - irrespective of whether it is smaller than 100 m - will be treated as reserved. This clearly shows that mining will reduce further under the new definition," he said. Attacking the opposition, Sharma said the Congress had itself admitted to committing "sins" in the past yet continued to "mislead people through baseless allegations". He alleged that the opposition was accusing the government of illegal mining purely on assumptions. "Has any Congress leader ever launched a tree plantation drive to protect nature?" he asked, citing BJP-led initiatives such as the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign and plantation drives across 750 acres. "Congress should cite just one example," he challenged. Citing enforcement data, Sharma said the BJP government had taken firm action against illegal mining over the past two years. "In two years, 20,526 cases have been registered, fines worth Rs.211.26 crore recovered, 2,228 FIRs lodged, 1,175 arrests made, and 19,744 vehicles and machines seized," he said. Specifically in the Aravalli region, he added, 10,966 cases were registered, Rs.136.78 crore recovered, 1,002 FIRs filed, 10,616 vehicles seized, and 300 people arrested during the same period. Verma also criticised Congress leaders, alleging they "do not even understand the definition of the Aravalli Hills". He said the matter was before the court and that both the CM and the forest and environment minister had clarified that the Aravalli range would remain fully protected. "Despite this, Congress leaders are deliberately spreading lies and confusion," Verma said. He accused the opposition of not reading the rules related to Aravalli protection and of turning the issue into "a political tool merely to stay in the headlines". "The people of the state have recognised these tactics," he added....