Minister in tiger cubs cage: Report sought

Following the controversy over Agriculture Minister Balasaheb Thorats entry into the cage of tigers at the local Maharajbagh Zoo....

Following the controversy over Agriculture Minister Balasaheb Thorats entry into the cage of tigers at the local Maharajbagh Zoo and his posing for cameras with his hand on the cubs back,the Forest Department on Monday sought a report from the zoo authorities on the entire episode.

After drawing flak from wilflife activists from far and wide,Thorat admitted to his mistake while talking to a news channel. He and S S Bawaskar,the veterinary doctor of the zoo,had been saying that there was no violation of rules involved in the case as there was no teasing.

Shiv Sena activists had also lodged a complaint at a local police station against Thorat and the zoo authorities.

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Bawaskar,incidentally,has always helped save the lives of tiger and leopard cubs rescued from forests. It was he who did the first known blood transfusion on a tiger cub a few months ago.

He often worked day and night taking care of the cubs,suffering many claw injuries in the process. Now in a fit of over-enthusiasm,he made a mistake and is being branded as a villain. This injury is much greater than the ones he suffered while treating the ferocious cubs. He doesnt deserve such a severe condemnation, a senior forest official said.

Nitin Desai,Central India Director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI),wondered,How a fine officer like Bawaskar,who has been instrumental in ensuring the safety and life of the cubs,could have advised the minister to do what obviously is a wrong thing.

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