Two Union Ministers--Maneka Gandhi Prakash Javadekar--today locked horns over culling of animals with the former saying there was "lust" for killing in the Environment Ministry.
Javadekar, who is the Minister for Environment and Forests, on his part defended animal culling, insisting it is done on the request of states to protect crops.
Responding to the charge, Javadekar said it is being done as per existing law and is not a central government programme.
"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.
"It is not a programme of the central government. The law is such," he said.
Things went further political when other party leaders started reacting to Maneka’s charge. "The Ministries do not have cohesion among them. This is not the first time such a thing is happening. All ministries are clashing and that is why work is stalled. There is lack of teamwork," JD(U) spokesman Ajay Alok said.
NCP spokesperson Rahul Narvekar said, "There is no synchronisation between various ministries of the government, thanks to one single person dictating terms. This is another example of bad governance."