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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Modi should leverage his ties with world leaders to de-escalate war in West Asia: Omar Abdullah
Jammu (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said India can play a meaningful role in de-escalation in West Asia, given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong relations with the warring countries and their neighbours.
He said Pakistan was leveraging ties with Iran and the United States, and that any effort towards ending the war should be welcomed.
"As I said in the House (Assembly), we would like the war to end as soon as possible. The role that the prime minister can play may not be possible for anyone else because of his good relations with all these countries," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
He, however, said any escalation would not be easy to manage.
"Any such move by US President Donald Trump, despite the long history of Iran resisting external domination, would not be easy," the chief minister said.
Asked about Pakistan mediating in the war, he said, "I will simply say that if any country can play a role in preventing this war, no one should have any objection to it."
He added, "I will repeat what I said … our prime minister has good and close relations with all countries — whether it is Israel, the United States, Iran, or the countries around Iran. If those relationships can be used to make some progress and help ease the situation, it would be a good thing."
Abdullah said attacks by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, as suggested by a report from the United States, are not unlikely.
Meanwhile, he asserted that any efforts to end the war, be it from Pakistan, must not be resisted.
"Pakistan is using its good relations with Iran and the United States to its advantage, and it has done so. How can we object to that? If that angle helps in stopping the war, would you want them not to act and let the war continue? We want the war to stop. If any country can play a role in that, it should. And if we can play an even better role, then we should do so," he said.
On unemployment in J-K, the chief minister said the issue cannot be resolved overnight, and government jobs alone are not the solution.
He stressed the need to explore alternative avenues, highlighting the importance of Mission Yuva in promoting entrepreneurship.
"Mission Yuva provides not just funding but also support in preparing DPRs and post-startup assistance, such as marketing. In just nine months, distributing Rs 1,000 crore and approving numerous schemes is a significant achievement," he said.
Abdullah credited the coordination between the government and Jammu and Kashmir Bank for the scheme's progress.
