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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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
