KOCHI: Industrialist Kochouseph Chittilappilly, chairman of Stray Dog Free Movement, has levelled allegations of corruption, misuse of power, nepotism and criminal conspiracy against Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi during the period 1989 and 2002.
“During 1989-2002, when Gandhi was the Environmental Minister, she had set up an Animal Welfare Division under her Ministry. This was done even as 'Animal Welfare Board of India' with the same mandate was working perfectly under the Agriculture Ministry. In 1992, she started People for Animals (PAF) with the intention of siphoning off government funds. RTI information says PAF has been illegitimately granted close to Rs 5.83 crore under the pretext of sterlisation and other activities,” he said in Kochi on Monday.
Chittilappilly said the Union Minister should be charged for corruption and favouritism as she has used her official position to favour PAF, which has her as the chairperson, to get grants from the government against the code of conduct of ministers.
He alleged that ABC (Dogs) Rules introduced by Maneka Gandhi in 2001 can be seen as the result of criminal conspiracy between animal welfare organisations and anti-Rabies vaccine manufactures for siphoning government funds for their personal gains.
Sabu Stephen, an activist and advocate, who has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking rollback of the ABC (Dogs) Rules, alleged that the act is invalid.
“Gandhi managed to publish the Gazette Notification of ABC (Dogs) Rules 2001 in the name of Ministry of Culture, on 24th December 2001, though the Ministry of Culture has nothing to do with the ABC (Dogs) Rules 2001 at that time. This is a clear case of manipulation, dishonesty and breach of trust in official matters,” he said.