Skip to content Skip to navigation

Is rhinos poaching a state sponsored crime?

Nagaon Police arrested one rhino poacher and recovered one horn at Juria Gadaimari Village in Nagaon on 07-03-15. Pix by UB Photos
Nagaon Police arrested one rhino poacher and recovered one horn at Juria Gadaimari Village in Nagaon on 07-03-15. Pix by UB Photos

Recent controversy between Assam Governor, Padmanabha Balkrishna Acharya and Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi over the issue of rhinos killings in state has brought a number of questions in the mind of the people regarding danger to the life of world famous one-horn rhinos.  A large number people have started thinking whether the elimination of the state symbol is ‘state sponsored’ one?. Large number of brutal killings of famous rhinos in the state have come into light through media continuously for a long time, but the state administration seems to be uncared and unmoved on this serious subject. The head of the state as a citizen of India has every right to express his views and anguish on any subject relating to the state affairs and in case of anomalies may suggest and advise a way to correct the same.

The comment passed by the Governor about failure of the state administration in respect of safety and security of rhinos’ lives has triggered so high because the affected people through various means and agitations, have failed to bring any result. The media despite giving repeated ‘breaking news’ could not bring much impact on this serious issue. The Governor’s remark on the issue of handling the security matter of rhinos by ‘inefficient administration’ of the state cannot be termed as unwarranted as the comments of the common people go unheard despite a long wait.  The Chief Minister in spite of taking lessons from the advice has ‘threatened’ the Governor not to interfere in the matter of state affairs like rhinos killing. The Governor’s advice to forest minister to quit the post in case one is not in position to perform duties properly was not unwarranted. He also advised the local people the residents of forest land to take care and share responsibility of saving rhinos of the forest areas.

Since the Governor desired to discuss the issue with the forest minister and due to absence of the minister advised to quit the post in case of failure to perform properly, there is nothing wrong. But in absence of the forest minister the interference by the Chief Minister brings a doubt in the minds of the people of state as the rhino killings are also the subject matter like other syndicate matters going on continuously for a long period in the state by political leaders. How can one challenge the advice given by anybody in the interest of the people of the state?  The involvement of state administration in the matter also gives feeling and creates doubt in the minds of the people to think over an earlier statement of the Chief Minister comparing the price of Kaziranga rhinos’ horns with the South Africa’s two-horned rhinos. It was reported as the chief minister saying that Kaziranga rhinos’ horns fetch more money in comparison to South Africa’s two horned one. This statement also gives a clue and creates doubt about the involvement of influential and political people in such illegal trade.

 

Add new comment

Random Stories

School teacher duped

30 Aug 2017 - 11:50pm | Shajid Khan
Beware. Frauds are moving around you. The latest victim is a school teacher who had to hand over his ATM details acting on a wrong information by a fraudster.  It took place in Dimakuchi where...

NFSA implementation from Sep 1

15 Jul 2014 - 7:44am | AT News
Come September 1. Decks are clear to implement the National Food Security Act. Chairing a meeting of the food and civil supplies department in Dispur on Monday, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has asked...

Poll prospect for Cong!

21 Jan 2014 - 11:54am | AT News
A rare done of good news awaits Congress party in Assam in the time of Lok Sabha polls if a pre poll survey is any indication.Lokniti-IBN National Tracker poll finds an impressive poll prospect for...

Need for biodiversity conservation

22 May 2012 - 4:28pm | Mubina Akhtar
The term 'biodiversity' denotes the variability of life forms on earth. Each little life form has its own place, duty and specific utility that balances Nature beautifully. As such, ecosystem...

Other Contents by Author

The most respected and appreciated growth of the print media in Assam and particularly in Guwahati, for more than a decade seems to have taken a destructive path giving birth to a trend of malice among the communities they belong. It is now being used for personal grudge among the so called high profile people in the society.Since most of the media houses are controlled by major business houses, it has been noticed that they have themselves become news for last few months through their own acts and publication. Recently, it has been noticed that a few vernacular news papers defying all the ethics of journalism, have started mudslinging on their rivals for quite some time. Knowing it very...
Since the year 1989, Guwahati, the gateway to the north eastern India, has seen a mushroom growth in the Fourth Estate with entry of a number of newspapers and periodicals in various languages. Earlier, a few English and Assamese newspapers were published in Guwahati.  For getting the major and detailed news, the people had to wait till evening for newspapers from Delhi and Kolkata. No doubt the haphazard growth in the print media gave an opportunity to a large number of unemployed educated youths to join this challenging profession of prestige. With the information technology witnessing development at fast pace, the media houses failed to get the competent and trained workforce to...
India’s Lok Sabha polls in 2014, has brought a significant change in political scenario of the country after a decade’s rule of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by the century old Indian National Congress (INC). Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has come to power after ten years’ of struggle under the leadership of Narendra Modi, former chief minister of Gujarat. Although the BJP has got absolute majority in the polls, it has kept its flock together giving all the pre-poll alliance members their due share in the administration. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has assured the countrymen of fair deal in the interest of all sections of the...
Problem-torn state of Assam for several years is now passing through a critical situation on which the Congress Party-led state government seems to have turned deaf ears and eyes-shut, despite hectic efforts of local people, NGOs and media covering the news from each and every corner of the state. The party in power for last thirteen years is divided among several factions contesting to gain maximum benefit out of the prevailing situation. The entire state is running under serious violence related to burning houses of inmates, murder, theft, communal hatred, abduction, indecent behavior against womenfolk and aged persons, but the administration is standstill. Criminals are active and have...
Ignoring their leaders directive Reang refugees from various Tripura camps are moving to their homeland in Mizoram in disguise. For about fifteen years of hardship in various refugee camps of Tripura, the evacuated people from their homes seem to have lost confidence in their leaders, who did not agree to return to their homeland despite several proposals for their safe return to their state. A recent media report says that so far 631 people belonging to 124 families have returned to their homes under disguise. However, according to Tripura government sources only 178 members of 27 families have gone so far. Thousands of Reangs were driven out of their homes due to conflicts with Mizo...
Failures of Congress Party in the state of Assam during recently concluded Lok Sabha polls has shattered the dreams of state chief minister, Tarun Gogoi, who had promised before the Congress high command to win more than half of the total seats for his party. The state has 14 parliamentary seats, out of which Congress could get 3 (three) seats only. The ‘courageous’ chief minister did not lose heart even at this defeat. The defeat led the Congress party in turmoil and some legislators of the party revolted against the leader of the House and demanded change in the leadership. The chief minister refused to bow down on the demands of those who desired the appointment of a new leader to lead...
India claims to be the largest democratic country in the world. In a country where majority of people do not get proper education about their status other than to vote for a political party or an individual on the basis of their ‘vague assurances’ to look into their welfare being in power only does not carry any meaning. India’s constitution provided specific conditions to educate the people within shortest time after independence, so that they could be in position to think about right or wrong policies of the government and raise their voice against the ‘evil designs’ of their destiny makers. The constitution has been amended hundred times, but the people in general could not be benefitted...
Will power has an important role in human life and those who have stamina to fight all odds, set an example for others to follow for a successful life. Even disability can be defeated if a person has determination to lead a peaceful life. We find a number of cases in the world when people lose heart on their failures in life. At the same time there are certain exceptions, who despite many odds in their life make it worth living by their strong will power. Here is an example of the life of a person who came out from a small village of Siyani Belchhi in the district of Jamui in Bihar. Born on January 2,1952, Rakesh Pathak became a handicap suffering from paralysis in his right leg at his...
The election process for the 16th Lok Sabha in India is going on full swing and by the middle of May 2014, the  complete picture of winning candidates would come out. The reign of the country for the next five years would go in the hands of mostly new faces. As there is a ‘good crop’ of leaders spreading throughout the 29 states and seven Union territories having a number of political parties spread throughout the country facing different administrative, natural and environmental problems, the election results are not likely to go for a single party rule. Speculations are on the air that post poll polarization of political forces may take place just after the final poll results are...
It was really a mockery of foundation stone laying ceremony by the Chief Minister of Assam one day ahead of announcement of Lok Sabha polls in the country by the Election Commission of India on 5th March 2014. As soon as on March 4, the news spread that the election dates would be announced on 5th March, Mr. S. Vishwanathan, Commissioner, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Mayor, Abir Patra of GMC along with other GMC officials approached the office bearers of the Ulubari Bazar Committee with information that the foundation stone laying ceremony would be done by the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the following day i.e. on 5th March at 11 a.m. They ordered dismantling of about two dozens of...