Sadhguru and the Assam chief minister were charged during a jeep tour in the park after dark.

  • Sept. 26, 2022, 11:52 a.m.

New Delhi: PCCF & HoFF, Assam & Chief Wildlife Warden MK Yadava defended spiritual leader Sadhguru and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against allegations of the two public figures violating wildlife protection laws during their jeep safari after dusk in the Kaziranga National Park (KNP).

'Hidden agenda to defame Kaziranga National Park'

MK Yadava claimed that people were making allegations without any factual basis. He said, "There's a hidden agenda behind this to defame Kaziranga National Park. People making these statements aren't aware of actual facts and haven't even tried to know the facts."

For the unversed, a police complaint was filed on Sunday against the Assam CM and Sadhguru for their alleged jeep safari in the national park after dusk.

A senior officer said the complaint was filed at the Bokakhat Police Station in Golaghat district by people living in villages on the fringe of the national park.

Yadava, in the CM's defense, further said, "Last year on September 22nd, our CM Himanta Biswa Sarma took one of the toughest stands by burning 2,479 rhino horns to show the world community that these horns do not have any value."

"The ash collected from these horns, it was decided that we should commemorate it. This event was a memorial to staff and frontline people on the fringe of the forest who've given their lives for the safety of rhinos & this entire memorial will be dedicated to them by CM. 

"We have started an enquiry into the issue." As the KNP falls under the forest department, we have asked for a status report on the allegations from the divisional forest officer of the park," a police official told PTI.

Residents of nearby villages allege the jeep's headlights were blazing after dusk.

In the complaint by Soneswar Narah and Prabin Pegu, residents of Morongiyal and Balijan Adarsh model villages near the park, it has been alleged that the jeep safari with the vehicle's headlights blazing after dusk was "in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972".

Complainants demand an arrest or a public apology.

They have demanded the immediate arrest of Sadhguru Jagdish 'Jaggi' Vasudev, Sarma, state Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, and others, who were part of the jeep safari. 
They also demanded a public apology from the alleged violators, as required by law.

Author : Rajdhani Delhi Representative

Rajdhani delhi representative

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