MADURAI : BJP leaders have filed a complaint against Congress leaders for violating wildlife norms inside Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) on Friday morning. The complaint has been filed on Saturday morning against leader of the Congress Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra, leader of the opposition in Karnataka assembly Siddaramaiah and Congress leaders KJ George and HC Mahadevappa.
In the complaint the BJP leaders have alleged that the Congress leaders entered the tiger reserve without permission and got down from their vehicle on the main BTR road, which is not permitted as per Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The BJP leaders have also alleged that forest department staffers allowed entry through the check posts from Karnataka side and from Mudumalai side ahead of the scheduled timings of opening of gates.
Check posts allow entry of vehicles through BTR only from 6am to 6pm. There is a night traffic ban on vehicle movement, except for emergency vehicles and four tourist buses during night hours.A senior forest department official told The New Indian Express: “Rahul Gandhi’s convoy was to pass through NH- 766 (connecting Kozhikode in Kerala to Kollegal in Karnataka earlier known as NH 212), but it came in from Mudumalai side, through Gudalur and entered BTR via Kekkanahalla check post at NH-67. In the mean time Siddaramaiah came in from Karnataka side and they met inside the forest between Kekkanahalla check post and Melukamanahalli check post.
They got down from the vehicles and exchanged floral bouquets and greeted each other. After which Siddaramaaiah got into Gandhi’s vehicle. The violations which we are checking for is causing disturbance, parking the vehicles and getting down from the vehicles.”
“Many are arguing with us and stating ‘so what’. But we are inquiring into the matter and want to spread the message that who ever it is, rules are the same for all. No one can get down from their vehicles inside the tiger reserves,” the official said. Forest staffers added since Gandhi’s vehicles were to enter from Kerala, a large forest staff was deployed that side to ensure that no rules are violated.