FW: Fwd: Letter to Shri Priyadarsanan Dharma Raj

[Guest guest]

Dear Mr. Dharma Raj,

 

How ironic that your name is in direct contradiction to its meaning!

Dharma Raj is supposed to be " the King of Righteousness " but you have only

grown to be the Clown Prince of hate.

 

While you seem to be highly literate, you are, sadly, uneducated. Not only

regarding the street dogs you say you " hate " because they are " pests due to

bad habitat management " , but also because most of what you have written is

so far of the mark that it should not even be dignified by a reply.

 

Surely, the Czech " scientist " would not tolerate people coming into his

country and breaking the laws there.

 

As a scientist myself, I cringe at being included in a group with you in it.

 

Dr. S. Chinny Krishna

Chennai

 

 

 

aapn [aapn ]On Behalf Of

AZAM SIDDIQUI

Tuesday, July 08, 2008 6:51 PM

aapn

Fwd: Letter to Shri Priyadarsanan Dharma Raj

 

 

Dear all,

 

I trust many of you have now read the message by Mr Priyadarsanan on the

issue of the Czech scientist arrested in Darjeeling.

 

Please take note of his stance that endorses the killing of insects for

research, his hatred of street dogs and his support of eating insects as a

conservation measure.

 

This thoroughly utilitarian perspective of animal conservation flies in the

face of the philosophy of animal rights and compassionate treatment of

animals

 

Insects may be less glamourous than mega species like tigers and rhinos but

they should be respected in their own right

It is just as wrong to kill silkworms for silk as it is to kill foxes for

fur

 

Please take off some time to respond to this man explaining why you think he

is defending the indefensible and where his arguments have gone awry.

 

Thanks,

 

Regards.

 

Azam

_________

 

My Response to his reply:

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

AZAM SIDDIQUI <azam24x7

Tue, Jul 8, 2008 at 5:11 PM

Re: Letter to Shri Priyadarsanan Dharma Raj

Priyan <priyan

Cc: Maneka Gandhi <gandhim, envisect, Animal welfare <

awbi, secretary.awbi, prathapankd,

pooranij

 

 

>PS: Pl. don't hesitate to mail me if you require any further information on

insects.<

 

I would definitely reach out to you as and when I need any info on Insects,

meanwhile I would appreciate if you kindly do the same in case you require

any further input on the Indian laws , rules and legislations that exist as

of now so that in future such acts are not repeated.

 

Whether we like it or not, whether they are draconian or soft, the fact is

that till your views echo in the walls of the Parliament and further

amendments are added/ removed from the same, we got to abide by them.

 

Buying pardon for after an alleged offense is not the right move.

 

Environmental protection and Wildlife laws are lowest on priority with

conviction rates having found to be as low as 0.2%.

 

I thank you for spreading the word across the world when you rightly say:

 

" The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 seriously curtails the scientific

freedom of individual taxonomists by putting draconian regulations on the

free exchange of specimens for taxonomic research and threatens to

strangulate biodiversity research in India with legal as well as

bureaucratic control " .

 

Quoted from: " Death sentence on taxonomy in India "

link: http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jan252008/170.pdf

 

You may have the right to not be an " animal lover " but you DO NOT have the

right to " hate street dogs " (homeless as we call), remember not to " HARM

THEM " in anyways as under sec 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Act, 1960 (59 of 1960) you may end up sadly on the footsteps of the erring

scientist- A law breaker inviting punishments and penalties.

 

>So it is my right to eat animals<

 

Lastly, whilst in India you can ONLY eat animals that are permitted.

 

Please do not derive any sadistic pleasure by writing such things.

It does not go well for someone striving to become a scientist.

 

Please calculate the risks involved before defending such people as your

online petition may not have a general provision regarding such association

to be termed as invalid.

 

regards,

 

Azam Siddiqui

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2008/7/8 Priyan <priyan:

 

" Collect insects to understand insects,

>

> Eat insects to conserve insects "

>

>

>

>

>

> Dear Mr. Azam Siddiqui,

>

> Thanks lot for your mail and the article.

>

> Your mail is a very good example of the lack of awareness and general

> misunderstandings existing even among the learned people about the less

> charismatic and lesser known part of biodiversity which comprises 95% of

the

> total species existing on the earth- THE INSECTS. Unfortunately our

> conservation strategies and policies are still pivoting around the

protocols

> developed for conserving a few charismatic species –which was originally

> developed for conserving the game mammals, much before the concept of

> biodiversity came to current day popularity.

>

>

>

> The scientists [except the space and nuclear scientists who works for

> defense who enjoys an elite status and popularity among the nationalists]

> does not enjoy any popularity or they are not revered in India like

> cricketers or mega stars. But they silently they do their job with total

> dedication to the works they do. The scientists never catch insects for

> eating, fun or trade like Salman Khan, Pataudi or others did. Entomologist

> collect insects only for the sake of science, for the sake of mankind.

The

> world is not starving today because the entomologists collected and

studied

> the insects so that they could mange the pests and save our crops. All

crop

> protection studies, including the latest BT, are depending on the findings

> of erstwhile Entomologists, who have extensively collected and studied

> those. Insects play the most important roles in all ecosystem functions

> except primary production. That is reason why Dr. EO Wilson –he is an

> entomologist with a huge collection of ants from all over the world-

praised

> them as the " little things run the world " . If you want to understand the

> insects there are no short cuts- you should collect and study them.

>

>

>

> Before writing this mail you should have read the Time magazine article

> atleast once rather than trying to find parallels just based on the title

of

> the article. The times article itself gives answers for many of your

doubts.

>

> " entomophagy--the scientific term for consuming insects--could also be a

> far greener way to get protein than eating chicken, cows or pigs " etc.

etc.

>

>

>

> The major threats to insects are not coming from collections or killings,

> but from the pesticides poured into our fields and habitat lose due to

> landuse changes. For producing every kilogram of rise we are killing

> thousands of invertebrates. While building every square foot we destroy

the

> habitats for several species.

>

> If people start to eat insects, it is not only going to provide cheap

> proteins for the poor , but it will be bringing in a greener way of pest

> control. So " eat insects, save life " ( I found caterpillars esp. 'bamboo

> shoot caterpillars' more tasty than the grass hoppers. The cicada are

tasty

> but I don't like the feeling of their fatty abdomen burst between my

teeth.

> The Rhinoceros grubs (a common coconut pest) is delicious. Oecophila

chutney

> is good and I could never get the termite preparations although it si

widely

> eaten in India )

>

>

>

> The total number of insects collected by an Entomologist in his/her life

> term is not even one percent of the insects we kill in an acreage of paddy

> field. But the science he produces is helping in feeding and sustaining

the

> mankind on the earth directly or indirectly. There are no cases of any

> insect gone extinct due to collection for research purpose. Unfortunately

> our rules, regulations and legislations are not helpful for the scientists

> and science. You are further requested to see the following related

articles

> by a few of us on how Indian Laws are stifling biodiversity research.

>

>

>

> Shadow of permit-raj over research :

> http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/oct252006/1006.pdf

>

> Hurdles for Conservation science in India :

> http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/oct252006/1005.pdf

>

> Science in the wilderness: the predicament of scientific research in

> India's wildlife reserve : http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/oct252006/1005.pdf

>

> Death sentence on taxonomy in India :

> http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jan252008/170.pdf

>

>

>

> AS an Endnote let me say:

>

> I can not be qualified as an " animal lover " in the definitions set by

> organized animal lovers. I eat animals, I hate street dogs (they are human

> pests due to bad habitat management) and I wish to leave all animals free

> enjoying all their " natural animal rights " –not the rights defined by the

> man. It is proven fact that Human beings, by origin and structure are

> omnivores. So it is my right to eat animals. I can not find any reasons

for

> man keeping pets other than selfish motifs. I believe that keeping pets

and

> humanizing them by training is nothing less than making " behavioral

bonsais "

> for the sake of the keeper's benefits and entertainment. This is crueler

> than eating them.

>

> With warm regards

>

>

>

> Priyadarsanan

>

> PS: Pl. don't hesitate to mail me if you require any further information

on

> insects.

> ------------------------------

>

> ** AZAM SIDDIQUI [azam24x7]

> *Sent:* Monday, July 07, 2008 5:20 PM

> *To:* priyan

> *Cc:* Maneka Gandhi; envisect; Animal welfare;

> secretary.awbi

> *Subject:* Letter to Shri Priyadarsanan Dharma Raj

>

>

>

> *Kind attention:* *Shri* *Priyadarsanan Dharma Raj, Ashoka Trust for

> Research in Ecology and the Environment

>

> Sub: *Online petition requesting the release of Dr. Petr Švácha, (Senior

> Scientist at Institute of Entomology, Academy of Sciences of Czech

Republic)

> arrested in Singalila National Park, Darjeeling (West Bengal).

>

> Dear Shri Priyadarshan,

>

> This is with reference to the above online petition which has been created

> by and written by you which can be traced in the link below:

> http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?wgircn2 & 701

>

> It is a matter of deep concern that instead of appreciating the actions of

> the enforcement agencies in detection of environmental offenses and crimes

> and appealing for strict actions to be taken, we are instead trying to

bail

> out the offenders.

>

> If the petition is to believed then are we going to say that this can act

> as a model for other so called 'elitist' people to follow the trend of

being

> pardoned.

>

> Would you appreciate if considering the huge popularity and the

> contributions of the Salman Khans and the Pataudis for Bollywood and the

> Cricketing field the animal people would have petitioned to the highest

> authority to allow them pardon for their respective offenses?

>

> Your actions remind me of Shri Tarun Gogoi, the Chief Minister of Assam

who

> pardoned an IAS officer of Nagaland state after the person was arrested

red

> handed poaching rhesus macaques in the fringe areas of Kaziranga National

> Park. This action of the Chief Minister was a big blow to the efforts of

> those officials who risked their lives in trying to protect our National

> wealth from being robbed.

> Pardons unfortunately never go well within the society, and it only pushes

> the efforts of our some of the legends who spent a lifetime in trying to

> protect even a single 'leaf' of A- Tree.

>

> Yes, it is unfortunate that perhaps the person was unaware of the rules

and

> laws. But please do not allow our sentiments and emotions to come in the

way

> of protecting anything that is in danger and more so when it is the case

of

> protecting our National wealth.

> Awareness should be limited to schools and colleges and the juveniles for

> the adults and specially the 'scientists' who should be considered one of

> the most educated lot within human beings the LAW should be allowed to

take

> its own course.

> It should act as a model for others to follow, instead we have a global

> army of 'scientists' trying to fish out an offender.

>

> Just for your kind information I would like to point out to the current

> issue of the TIMES magazine article " EATING BUGS " which dwells on the

> growing popularity of the consumption of bugs and other exotic and rare

> insects.

> Please find the link below:

> http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1810336,00.html

>

> I am sure that you can now make the connection between the following:

>

> 1. The arrest of the scientist.

>

> 2. Another similar act of collecting bugs illegally by a German citizen in

> Arunachal Pradesh, who was let of with a warning by the local council.

>

> and

>

> 3. The TIMES article.

>

> All the above are serious food for thought for those who actually strive

to

> protect and see the status of India`s environment & wildlife improve for

> good.

>

> Best wishes,

>

>

> Azam Siddiqui

>

> Master Trainer in Animal Welfare for

> Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)

>

> Copy to:

>

> 1. Smt Maneka Gandhi, Former Union minister for Environment & Forest, and

> Chairperson People for Animals- India

>

> 2. Secretary, MOEF

>

> 3. Chairman & Secretary, AWBI

>

>

> --

> United against elephant polo

> http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

> http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui

>

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>

 

 

 

--

United against elephant polo

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui

 

 

 

--

United against elephant polo

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui