JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday refuted the Congress allegation that the State Government was not giving permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation to hold a full-fledged enquiry into the disappearance of tigers in the Sariska Project Tiger sanctuary in Alwar district of Rajasthan.

"First, let them seek permission. Then only it is possible for us to give,'' she retorted when newspersons sought her view on the Congress party's criticism that the Government was protecting poachers by withholding permission to the agency to probe into the details.

"Why will we say no if they ask,'' Ms.Raje said. "It is in Rajasthan's interest to have such an enquiry,'' she said even while pointing out that there no permission taken when the CBI held a preliminary enquiry into the missing of tigers in Sariska a few months back.

"I should have made a hue and cry when they did it first but I did not,'' Ms.Raje noted.

The preliminary probe by the CBI was held at the behest of the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh who also had written to Ms.Raje on the reported large scale poaching of wild cats in Rajasthan's sanctuaries.

"Did we kill the tigers? It has been happening for the past five years and everybody knows it,'' Ms.Raje said hinting that the previous Congress Government in the State was equally responsible for the crisis on the wild tiger front.

Asked about the follow up on the list of demands submitted by her to the Prime Minister, during his visit to Ranthambhore National Park a week back, Ms.Raje said it had been too brief a period to expect results.

Ms.Raje had made a presentation before Dr.Singh on the requirements of Rajasthan on the infrastructure front and in other areas like drought relief, drinking water, literacy and also for more funds to the National Parks.

Dr.Singh has promised to take up the cases once back in Delhi referring them to the individual departments concerned.

"You know it. It takes time,'' Ms.Raje said.