Monkeys 'own' land in this Maharashtra village
Aurangabad (PTI): At a time when land disputes are common among people, monkeys in a village in Maharashtra's Osmanabad district have been bestowed a rare honour of having 32 acres of land registered in their name.
People in Upla village of Osmanabad hold the simian residents in high regard by feeding them whenever they arrive at the doorstep and at times, even honouring them at weddings.
Land records found with the Upla gram panchayat clearly mention that 32 acres of land is in the name of all monkeys residing in the village.
"While documents clearly state that the land belongs to monkeys, it is not known who created this provision for the animals and when it was done," the village sarpanch (head) Bappa Padwal told PTI.
In the past, monkeys were part of all rituals conducted in the village, he said.
The village is home to nearly 100 monkeys now, and their numbers have dwindled over the years as the animals do not stay in one place for long, Padwal said.
The forest department has carried out plantation work on the land and there was also an abandoned house on the plot, which has now collapsed, he said.
"Earlier, whenever weddings were held in the village, monkeys would be offered a gift first and only then the ceremony would begin. Not everyone follows this practice now," the sarpanch said.
Villagers also feed the monkeys whenever they appear at their doorstep. No one denies them food, he added.
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Social media campaigns, flexboards won't decide who will be Kerala CM: Chennithala
New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, a CM hopeful, on Wednesday said that social media campaigns and putting up of flexboards wiill not be the deciding factors for selecting the chief minister of Kerala.
Chennithala made the remark in response to reporters queries in Delhi on the intense social media campaign in favour of V D Satheesan as CM on the ground that he led the UDF poll campaign from the front.
"Who should be CM is not decided based on social media campaigns or the flexboards put up by the supporters. It is decided by the high command in accordance with the procedure already in place.
"As part of that two party observers will reach Kerala by evening and they will speak to all the MLAs. After that, the party high command will take a decision," the senior Congress leader said.
He said that the high command will take the decision based on party interests and everyone will accept it.
Chennithala also rejected queries about whether the alleged contest within the party for the CM post will create any displeasure among the voters.
"There will be no displeasure among voters as there is no contest," he contended.
On whether there was a delay in announcing the CM for Kerala, Chennithala said that the chief minister has not been selected in the other state where polls were held.
"So, can it be said that there is a delay in the case of Kerala?" he asked.
He said that he was in Delhi for a meeting with Rahul Gandhi regarding finalisation of the DCC presidents in Maharashtra.
