Bengaluru: A political fistfight has broken out between Karnataka’s ruling Congress and main opposition BJP over the “regional identity” of a stray wild elephant that crossed state borders and killed a man in neighbouring Kerala.
The BJP has accused the Congress of splurging the state’s resources to pay the victim, who is from Kerala’s Wayanad – Rahul Gandhi’s constituency.
The elephant, radio-collared by the Karnataka forest department, killed Wayanad resident Ajeesh Joseph Panachiyil on 10 February.
Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra told reporters Tuesday that the state government released the compensation because Rahul Gandhi had “demanded” it.
“This is a total misuse of state funds. How can the Karnataka government or (Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah release funds (compensation) for a person who died in Kerala?” he said in Bengaluru.
His brother and BJP MP B.Y. Raghavendra said he didn’t get why Karnataka had to compensate the victim since “animals aren’t citizens of a particular state”.
Incidentally, Rahul Gandhi had left his ongoing “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra” on 17 February and visited the victim’s family. He apparently requested Karnataka’s forest minister to pay the compensation on humanitarian grounds.
His request was also to calm the tempers of his constituents who began to protest the increasing human-wildlife conflicts in these parts.
Wayanad, which borders Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, is nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats. It is also part of the Bandipur forest range and is home to a wide variety of wildlife which moves across human-made borders.
Former chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is now an ally of the BJP, said the state government had released only Rs 2,000 for drought-hit farmers in Karnataka but was “happy to pay Rs 15 lakh” as compensation for a victim in the neighbouring state.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar dodged questions on the matter Tuesday, saying he did not know much about it.
According to information provided by the Karnataka forests department, the tuskless male Makhna was captured in Belur of Hassan district on 30 November and later transported to Bandipur which borders the two other south Indian states.
Two months later, the pachyderm – with a radio collar or tracking device – killed Ajeesh, sparking protests and prompting a visit by Gandhi. It is unclear if Kerala too has announced or provided any financial or other compensation to the victim’s family.
Incidentally, a letter purportedly written by Karnataka forest minister Eshwar Khandre on 19 February, is doing the rounds where he informs Gandhi of the compensation paid to the victim’s family. In the letter, Khandre says the funds were given based on communication received from Congress general secretary and former Wayanad MP K.C. Venugopal.
“With reference to the aforesaid subject, I would like to submit that as per your advice to Sri K.C.Venugopal ji which was conveyed through telephonic message to me yesterday and after discussing with Hon’ble Sri Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister of Karnataka, accordingly Government of Karnataka has announced compensation of Rs 15 lakhs to the family to deceased,” Khandre said in his letter.
ThePrint reached Khandre via calls but had not received a response by the time of publication. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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