Even as more than 250 personnel from Kerala’s forest department comb private estates on forest fringes in Palakkad and Malappuram districts, looking for clues on the death of a pregnant elephant on May 27, several opposition leaders Thursday slammed ruling BJP leaders for attempts to create controversy and purportedly try to sully the state’s image.
The elephant died after her mouth was severely damaged in an explosion in Palakkad district. It was first spotted in a river near the buffer zone of Silent Valley National Park on May 23.
The forest department’s combing team comprises personnel from Silent Valley, Mannarkad, Palakkad and Nilambur divisions under whose jurisdictions forests in the two districts mostly fall, sources said.
The team is mainly looking for presence of snares kept by locals for wild animals, and for likely suspects in the case. They are assisted by a team of police under Palakkad Superintendent of Police. There has been no breakthrough yet, and sources said the forest department has decided to extend the combing operation across the state.
A separate team of the state Crime Branch are proceeding with a simultaneous probe into use of explosives which had lad to the animal’s death.
In Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, “At the national level, there is a concerted campaign against the state. The incident was reported in Palakkad district, but the name of (Muslim-majority) Malappuram was dragged into it deliberately. Even Union ministers are engaged in a baseless campaign. If somebody thinks the incident can be used to do away with the ovation (credit) the state has gained in its Covid-19 management, it is only their delusion.” He said any attempt to “question the state’s self-respect would not be allowed”.
Kerala Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala of the Congress also condemned the “campaign” against the state, and remarks linking the animal’s death to Malappuram. In a letter to BJP MP and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, he stated, “Your irresponsible statement has given space for airing hate speeches abusing a district and its people. Withdraw and apologise for your statement portraying this district as a centre of crime.”
Malappuram MP and IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty said, “Their attitude against one place where such incidents have not taken place in the past…that’s part of their partisan and communal agenda…. They use Malappuram’s name for their communal campaign.”
The Congress high command also accused the BJP of giving a communal colour to the “unfortunate incident.”
“The BJP must tender an unqualified and unconditional public apology for giving communal colour to the most unfortunate incident of the killing of a pregnant elephant in Kerala,” AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said. He said “any kind of mindless and unreasonable violence against wildlife is totally unacceptable and unjustifiable” but pointed out that senior BJP leaders such as Maneka Gandhi and ministers like Prakash Javadekar are “deliberately spreading false information.”