Arrest 'poacher' Congress MLAs, demands People for Animals

The Pioneer , Friday, August 11, 2006
Correspondent : Deba Choudhury
In view of the series of letters from BJP MP Menaka Gandhi to the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court and the State Election Commission over the controversial poaching case, People for Animals activists has sought action against poachers.

Congress MLA Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mahapatra is the main accused in the poaching case. Another Congress MLA from Banki Debasis Patnaik is also on target for keeping a tiger cub in his house. People for Animals activists urged the State Government to take prompt action against the poachers.

In a memorandum to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Governor Rameshwar Thakur, the wildlife body demanded action against the culprits. Meanwhile, the body also raised questions over illegal transportation of cattle in and outside the State.

"We are really shocked over the way illegal trafficking of cattle is going on in the State and the police are doing nothing to curb it, People for Animals president JB Das said. The State Government should initiate an impartial enquiry into the whole poaching nexus and take appropriate action, he said.

Expressing his deep concern PFA state general secretary Lenin Mohanty said it was very shocking that persons accused of poaching and taming are sitting in the Assembly.

Unfortunately, it is an open challenge for the State administration to answer why MLAs, who have grossly violated the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and the Orissa Forest Act 1972, are not being punished adequately.

"Why couldn't the police arrest the errant MLA and his companions who went for animal poaching with arms and weapons in the reserved Satkosia sanctuary at Angul openly defying the existing law of the land? These high class and sophisticated accused are no less vitriolic than dreaded criminals, averred the members of the forum.

At times when these people use to talk of the value of forests, the necessity of good environment and conservation of wild lives at different platforms to woo people for their political gains they probably forget their own crimes in forest, wild life and environment, the members said.

The forum pointed out such a serious matter came to the notice of the State administration and the public alike only when Maneka Gandhi, the national president of PFA and former Union Minister on May 29, 2006 wrote a protest letter to the HC Chief Justice asking as to how could a poacher like LB Mahapatra move freely while he was an accused in a case pending since 1991 in the Angul SDJM's Court.

The forum has demanded immediate arrest of the accused MLAs.

They threatened to intensify their strike if the Government failed to take prompt action. Moreover, the forum appealed the general public to socially boycott these MLAs.

Das said that the protest would continue till the police arrest the accused. Although Mahapatra admitted in the Assembly that there was a case against him in 1991 and now he is on bail, the question remains as to how could he hide the fact while making his statement in the affidavit for election.

It may be recalled, the poaching issue has already rocked the Assembly after the second letter of Sonia Gandhi asking the Chief Justice for action.

 
SOURCE : The Pioneer, Friday, August 11, 2006
 


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