Guwahati, 15 September (HS): Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi has strongly criticised the government over the transfer of five-year-old elephant ‘Durga’ from Manas National Park to the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Tamil Nadu, demanding that she be brought back to Assam at the earliest.

Gogoi alleged that Durga was taken out of Manas National Park on September 7 and sent to Tamil Nadu without keeping the people of Assam informed about the circumstances surrounding the transfer. Referring to reports that the elephant is being kept tied within the temple premises, he said the alleged transfer for monetary consideration has caused widespread concern among people in the state.

Describing the alleged manner of the transfer as highly condemnable, Gogoi questioned why the elephant was sent outside Assam under the cover of darkness without making the relevant information public.

He further claimed that Durga was not an isolated case and alleged that nearly 1,200 elephants from Assam have been sent outside the state in a similar manner. He demanded that the Assam government and Manas National Park authorities disclose all relevant details regarding such transfers.

Gogoi also sought public disclosure of Durga’s actual age, ownership and place of residence and demanded that she be safely brought back from Tamil Nadu to Assam.------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash