When will the elephants’ cry in the wilderness end?
Recently, a tragic incident involving the death of an elephant occurred in Kerala. The elephant ate a pineapple that had firecrackers stuffed in it which were allegedly intended to kill ‘wild boars’ and died tragically soon after. The post-mortem report established that the elephant was pregnant. The elephant’s death was so gut-wrenching that it pulled at the heartstrings of lakhs of people who shed tears at the erosion of human values that caused the death. But, as is the won't these days, every incident is used to pursue an agenda and the focus in this instance became Kerala, the state, in which the incident occurred instead of the ghastly incident. Instead of condemning the inhumaneness of people and their irresponsibility and lack of commitment to protecting wildlife, the focus quickly shifted to attacking Kerala, the state which was recently lauded globally for the way it handled the Corona pandemic.
It is now widely accepted across the country that the ‘anti-Kerala hatred’ espoused by a section of the society reflects their intolerance towards development, rational thought, and equality practiced in the state. Even while fighting the Coronavirus, Kerala had to fight the Sangha Parivar’s hate agenda. Now, using this incident that exposes the perversion of an irresponsible farmer or hunter, the Sangha Parivar is back to doing what it is best – spreading vile and venom against the state. A few union ministers are even working overtime to establish the role of Muslims in the incident. The union health minister has not only expressed shock but also warned of stringent action. A BJP leader who is notorious for her ‘love for animals and hatred for humans’ has tried to distort the incident by spreading information that the incident occurred in Mulsim-dominated Malappuram. People had to correct her later that the incident occurred in Palakkad.
To capture wild boars, people have been using different sorts of tactics, sometimes totally barbaric, and this is not restricted to Kerala alone but is seen in the Malnad region in Karnataka also. Many times, tragically, human beings have died instead of wild boars as a result of such inhuman acts. It then becomes our moral responsibility to condemn such practices and pressurize the government to punish the guilty. Instead of doing that, as in this recent incident, some mischievous elements are using it to blame and hate the people of Kerala by projecting falsely that the elephant was killed deliberately.
When it comes to the killings of elephants, Karnataka can’t feel any less guilty than other states. Farmers in Kodagu and Malnad use electric fences to protect their farmland against the fury and destruction caused by elephants. Many incidents of people getting caught in such electric fences and losing their lives have been reported. In 2017, four elephants died instantly after coming in contact with the electric fences erected by the forest department. In the same month, six elephants died in similar accidents in other parts of the state. Why don’t people who are mourning the death of the elephant in Kerala respond to these incidents that occur at regular intervals in Karnataka?
Also, the conflict between farmers and elephants is not new. When people started encroaching forest land in their quest to increase the area agriculture, elephants also started entering agricultural land. Many elephants and farmers have lost their lives in these conflicts. When the forest department failed to stop the elephants from raiding agricultural areas, farmers started using different strategies to combat the elephants including electrical fencing. From 2009 to 2017, the number of elephants that died in accidents involving electrical wires is a whopping 461. Of these deaths,106 deaths were reported in Karnataka and 17 in Kerala. On average 50 elephants die in such incidents in India every year, Karnataka topping the list. As these deaths happen due to the electrical fences erected as protective measures, such deaths are dismissed as ‘accidents.’ So why is the Centre then suddenly shedding crocodile tears at the death of this elephant?
This incident holds a mirror to the fact that India is becoming a dangerous country for the vulnerable sections of the population including women and for its sheer neglect of the ecosystem including rivers and wildlife such as elephants as confirmed by several reports. Everything that the Vedic culture deemed as ‘sacred’ has been exploited for the same reason. Even as women are viewed as ‘worthy of worship’, India has the ignominy of having burnt widows on their husband’s pyres. The contradiction doesn’t end here. India also has the notoriety of shunning widows into separate areas, such as Vrindavan and perpetuating the practice of getting the widows to shave their heads. The Ganges, which is considered sacred, has been dirtied so much that we are not able to clean it and restore it to its former glory even after spending thousands of crores of rupees.
Similarly, elephants are considered ‘Godly’ but are again exploited for the same reason. Exposing the atrocities unleashed on elephants on the pretext of religion, artist Sangeetha Iyer has produced a documentary titled ‘Gods in Shackles’ that reveals how elephants are tamed to be used in religious practices, the way they are exploited, the pain they endure in chains, and the injuries they are subjected to. Though several laws have been enacted to protect wild animals, these have not been used to protect elephants. If the Centre is truly committed to protecting elephants, it should implement strong punitive measures against those who knowingly perpetrate such atrocities against these wild animals. Elephants should be free of human shackles. By ensuring this, the government can restore the cultural ethos of India that has for hundreds of years regarded elephants as holy.
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US SEC summons Gautam Adani, nephew Sagar in bribery case
New York (PTI): Adani group founder and chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar have been summoned to explain their stand on the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) allegation of paying USD 265 million (Rs 2,200 crore) in bribes to secure lucrative solar power contracts.
Summons have been sent to Adani's Shantivan Farm residence in Ahmedabad and his nephew Sagar's Bodakdev residence in the same city for a reply to SEC within 21 days.
"Within 21 days after service of this summons on you (not counting the day you received it)...you must serve on the plaintiff (SEC) an answer to the attached complaint or a motion under Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," said a November 21 notice sent through the New York Eastern District Court.
"If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. You also must file your answer or motion with the court," it added.
Gautam Adani, 62, and seven other defendants, including his nephew Sagar, who is a director at the group's renewable energy unit Adani Green Energy Ltd, allegedly agreed to pay about USD 265 million in bribes to Indian government officials between approximately 2020 and 2024 to obtain lucrative solar energy supply contracts on terms that expected to yield USD 2 billion of profit over 20 years, according to an indictment unsealed in a New York court on Wednesday.
Separate from the indictment brought by the US Department of Justice, the US SEC has also charged the two and Cyril Cabanes, an executive of Azure Power Global, for "conduct arising out of a massive bribery scheme".
The ports-to-energy conglomerate has denied the allegations and said it will seek all possible legal resources.
"The Adani Group has always upheld and is steadfastly committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, transparency and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions of its operations. We assure our stakeholders, partners and employees that we are a law-abiding organisation fully compliant with all laws."
An indictment in the US is basically a formal written allegation originating with a prosecutor and issued by a grand jury against a party charged with a crime. A person indicted is given formal notice to reply.
That person or persons can then hire a defence lawyer to defend.
Prosecutors said the investigation started in 2022 and found the inquiry obstructed.
They also allege that the Adani Group raised USD 2 billion in loans and bonds, including from US firms, on the backs of false and misleading statements related to the firm's anti-bribery practices and policies, as well as reports of the bribery probe.
"As alleged, the defendants orchestrated an elaborate scheme to bribe Indian government officials to secure contracts worth billions of dollars and... lied about the bribery scheme as they sought to raise capital from U.S. and international investors," US Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement announcing the charges on Wednesday.
"My office is committed to rooting out corruption in the international marketplace and protecting investors from those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of the integrity of our financial markets."
