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Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka), Dec 15: Actress Shilpa Shetty on Sunday donated a life-size mechanical elephant to Shri Jagadguru Renukacharya Temple here to celebrate the centenary birth ceremony of Shrimad Rambhapuri Veerarudramuni Jagadguru.

Launching the mechanical elephant called Veerabhadra, Karnataka Minister Eshwar B Khandre said that technology has made it possible for temples to have elephants without having to keep them in shackles.

Shri Jagadguru Renukacharya Temple at the Rambhapuri Peetha has decided never to own or hire live elephants.

Lauding the temple's decision, Khandre, who holds the portfolios of Forest, Ecology and Environment said, "Many other temples and maths have requested me to donate an elephant. But as per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, we cannot donate elephants to any other temple. Under these circumstances, new technologies have come, like the robotic elephant." The elephant donation to the temple was facilitated by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and Bengaluru-based animal welfare NGO, Compassionate Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA).

According to PETA India, the three-meter-tall mechanical elephant weighs 800 kg and is made of rubber, fibre, metal, mesh, foam, and steel, and runs on five motors.

The forest minister thanked PETA, CUPA and the actress on behalf of the forest department and Karnataka government.

"It's the need of the hour, and they (elephants) have a right to live on this Earth." Karnataka Energy Minister K J George and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Sringeri, T D Rajegowda were present.

Shri Jagadguru Renukacharya Temple is the first shrine in Chikkamagaluru district to have this technology.

Veerabhadra will be used to conduct cruelty-free ceremonies at the temple, helping real elephants stay with their herd in the jungle.

Appreciating the efforts of PETA India and CUPA in donating mechanical elephants to temples, chief swami of the Peetha, Rambhapuri Jagadguru, said, "We encourage more temples and maths to join us by welcoming a mechanical elephant." According to PETA, most elephants held captive in temples and other places suffer from excruciating foot problems and leg wounds due to chaining to concrete for hours on end and many become frustrated and lash out, sometimes killing mahouts or other humans or animals.

Quoting figures from the Heritage Animal Task Force's report, PETA said captive elephants killed 526 people in Kerala in a 15-year period.

PETA India had also facilitated the donation of a mechanical elephant to Irinjadappilly Sri Krishna Temple in Thrissur, Kerala, with the help of actor Parvathy Thiruvothu.

According to PETA India, now, at least 10 mechanical elephants are used in temples across south India, of which it has donated six.

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Guwahati (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for attacking Gaurav Gogoi over alleged Pakistan links, asserting that dragging his family and children into it is "wrong politics".

After paying homage to Zubeen Garg at his cremation ground 'Zubeen Khetra' at Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati, Vadra said the singer was "above politics" and spread the message of love throughout his life.

"There are two types of leaders in politics -- one who does positive politics and the other who does polarisation. Gaurav Gogoi is doing the politics of love," she said when asked about Sarma's repeated attacks on the Assam Congress chief over alleged Pakistan links.

Vadra asserted that Gogoi is "a positive person, and wants to bring positivity in politics".

"That is why such attacks on him are taking place. People of Assam understand this. But the attacks on Gaurav and his family are the wrong politics. Nobody should attack the family and children (of a political leader)," Vadra said.

Instead of such politics, the Assam CM should "talk about the youth and women of the state, who are looking for jobs", the Wayanad MP said.

"You are seeing how much corruption is taking place. It is just a betrayal of the people of the state," she told reporters.

Talking about her visit to 'Zubeen Khetra' in the morning, Vadra said that she went to the cremation ground to pay her respect to the singer and not do any politics over it.

"Zubeen Garg was above politics. His cremation ground should be a sacred place and should not be used for politics," she added.

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