SOS: Elephant Polo in Jaipur

[Guest guest]

Kind Attention: Ms. Ruth Powys

 

Reference to news item:

 

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?

content_id=142773

Mark of an elephant man

Mark Shand is going to be part of an elephant polo tournament to

be held in Jaipur on November 18

SUMAN TARAFDAR

 

 

Dear Madam,

 

The above news item comes as a shock to me as I have been following up the abuse

of captive elephants in India for quite sometime.

 

Having physically played surrogate mother to orphaned ellies at the David

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust under the expert supervision of Dr. Daphne Sheldrick

and having voiced for the rights of the gentle giants back here in India for

more than ten years, I feel I have atleast some experience which makes me say

that ‘Elephant Polo’ is not something which captive elephants enjoy

demonstrating.

 

It is the sadistic pleasure ‘Man’ instead derives from the match where the

jumbos are subjected to excruciating pain by the mahouts sitting on its head who

deliberately to maneuver the animal hit it with an ankush below its ear many a

times. It is this practice which is not only inhumane and inflicts extreme

cruelty but for people who claim to understand the animal it is a shame.

Also it is an unlawful offence in India.

 

Therefore I request you to kindly ask Mr. Mark Shand who is an honourable

trustee of your organization to not patronize such events in India.

As an animal rights activist I request you on behalf of thousands of Indians to

have mercy on the poor elephants. Many of these wild-caught elephants are

undernourished and are already being subjected to extreme heat conditions in the

city of Jaipur as a means to entertain the tourists. To put them through this

sort of torture in front of the crowd and to force them to a game of man made

polo is cruel, undignified and inexcusable.

This noble animal - which will be forced to relive perhaps the most traumatic

event of its life - deserves more dignity than this.

 

A similar event of elephant football, elephant mock fight, elephant tug of war (

all circus like events ) were scheduled at the Kaziranga Centenary Celebrations

at the World Heritage site: Kaziranga National Park in Assam. But with

interventions and protests from Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, Mrs Belinda Wright of the

Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI),PETA-India and many other Indian

eminent experts on animal rights, all these events were finally scratched off

from the list of events.

Ironically Mr. Mark Shand was also an ‘International Brand Ambassador’ for the

event. So was the Rajmata Gayatri Devi of Jaipur.

Please check the link below to read an archive news item of this issue:

 

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050214/asp/northeast/story_4374942.asp

 

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 , Section 11 clearly prohibits

any action where an animal is supposedly caused pain and agony. There are many

other laws in India which also are framed to see that the elephant or any other

animal is not abused in any manner.

 

As for the elephants which shall be made to play ‘polo’ this appears to be an

advertisement for a circus. And this could send an extremely negative message

all across the country where many states have started respecting their animals

following a long and tiring crusade which still continues.

 

I am sure there are other means to generate concerns to the conservation of

captive elephants, fundraising etc. To imitate the terror meted out to

Thailand’s elephants and practice it in India may not be allowed.

 

Hoping all the positive from your end.

 

Regards,

 

Azam Siddiqui

 

Member: People for Animals, PETA-India

Master Trainer in Animal Welfare,

Animal Welfare Board of India ( AWBI )

 

 

 

107/C, Railway Colony, New Guwahati- 781021, Assam. INDIA

Ph: +91 94350 48481 (M), +91 99540 97586 ®

www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui

 

Stop the Forest Service from killing more wolves, bears, cougars, and other

animals in the wild:

http://go.care2.com/99055

 

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