Action sought against Priyanka Gandhi under Wildlife Protection Act for petting snakes

A video showed the Congress leader sitting with snake charmers in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, touching a snake and putting the reptile in its box.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen interacting with snake charmers in Raebareli (Photo | ANI Twitter)

NEW DELHI:  Animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi has written a letter to the Uttar Pradesh government demanding “immediate arrest” of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi for “serious violation” of WildLife (Protection) Act, 1972. Maulekhi is a close aide of the Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi and a trustee of her NGO, People for Animals.

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On Thursday, Priyanka was seen handling three protected varieties of snakes in Purwa village in Rai Bareli, knowing fully well that the rare reptiles had been mutilated, Maulekhi said in her letter to the state’s chief wildlife warden.“It’s a matter of shame that she has shamelessly violated provisions of an Act promulgated by her grandmother Indira Gandhi ...,” Maulekhi said.