Maneka, Javadekar lock horns over culling of animals

Face-off: Maneka Gandhi and Prakash Javadekar. File pics

New Delhi: Two Union Ministers - Maneka Gandhi and Prakash Javadekar - yesterday locked horns over culling of animals with the former saying there was ‘lust' for killing in the Environment Ministry.

Face-off: Maneka Gandhi and Prakash Javadekar. File pics

Maneka, who holds the Women and Child Development portfolio and is an animal rights activist, exploded in the wake of the recent killing of nilgai (blue bulls) in Bihar, which she termed as the ‘biggest ever massacre'. Around 200 blue bulls were reportedly gunned down in Bihar in the past week. "This is happening for the first time. I don't understand this lust for killing of animals. It is shameful," she said.

Countering her, Javadekar insisted that it was ‘scientific management' of animal population. "As per existing law, when farmers face a lot of problems and their crops are completely damaged and when state government sends a proposal, only then we allow (culling) and grant approval to the state government's proposal for a particular area and time period for scientific management," he said.