Page 49 - 31DEC2018E

PUNJAB

Sidhu in row over Gifting black jit Singh said, “Procedurally, Sidhu

should have first approached the
Chief Wildlife Warden and obtained
partridge from Pakistan to CM certification.” He, however, said that
black partridge was not covered under
the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
Despite assertion Navjot Singh Sidhu, cricketer turned politician, that Capt Amarinder Singh is like his and Flora.
A government functionary said the
father figure, the relations between the two continue to sour and form controversy, writes SARRAH CM had already sought information
from the Wildlife Department.
unjab Cabinet Minister Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of the based journalist during his visit to the After attending the ground-break-
Navjot Singh Sidhu was in government of India. The complainant, neighbouring country on the occa - Visiting troubles Sidhu had ing ceremony of Kartarpur Corridor in
news sometime back when Dr Sandeep K Jain, a Ludhiana-based sion of ground breaking ceremony of gone ahead with his visit to Pakistan, Punjab Tourism and Cultural
he was caught on camera wildlife activist and Honourary State Kartarpur corridor and the minister Pakistan despite Amarinder’s Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu
P in a full-on hug with Paki- Animal Welfare Officer (a body of ani- gifted it to the chief minister when he plea to review his decision returned to the country and called on
stan Army Chief, General Qamer Javed mal welfare board), claimed gifting par- visited the latter at his residence. Ama- Captain Amarinder Singh in Chan -
Bajwa. He soon courted controversy tridge is a violation of the Wildlife Act. rinder Singh was little unwell and after digarh and gifted him a stuffed par-
over the act with the opposition saying “I have filed a complaint requesting thorough check-up was relaxing at his reconsider his decision. Later Sidhu Meanwhile, activists have ap - tridge and other gifts that had brought
that his actions showed insensitivity the welfare board to probe how Sidhu home when Sidhu visited him. called Rahul Gandhi his “captain” at a proached the Wildlife Crime Control from the neighbouring country on
to the Indian armed forces. However, gifted the partridge to the chief minis- Sidhu who had been busy with cam- press conference in Hyderabad. It sent Bureau (WCCB) against Punjab Local Wednesday.
Sidhu gave the act a positive twist and ter and how the protected animal could paigning in five states where Assembly Amarinder loyalists gunning for Sidhu Bodies and Cultural Affairs Minister Black partridge is one of the unique
went on to say that even Prime Minis- cross the border and get the customs elections had recently been held. After and the party’s central leadership had Navjot Singh Sidhu for allegedly pos- species of birds that are found in inte-
ter Narendra Modi often indulged in clearance,” said Jain, who is also a mem- Congress registered a victory in three to step in to end the controversy by ask- sessing a stuffed black partridge in rior Sindh in Pakistan. According to
‘hugplomacy’ with foreign dignitar- ber of national inspection committee states and praises started pouring for ing both sides to refrain from making violation of the Wildlife Protection reports, the bird is now vanishing fast
ies. At that time he had taken refuge in of Animal Welfare Board for preven- Sidhu’s witty campaign style, he has public statements. Act, 1972. from its habitat due to natural and
having got conceded a major demand tion of cruelty during transportation, emerged a taller leader of Congress. In the wake of “cold war” between The WCCB is a statutory multi-dis- manmade reasons.
of Sikhs of Kartarpur Corridor. He was slaughter and sacrifice. Recently, Sidhu had gone ahead Capt Amarinder Singh and Local Gov- ciplinary body under the Ministry of Reports said, Sidhu, gifted the stuffed
criticised even by his own Captain, Pun- Sidhu had received a stuffed black with his plan of visiting Pakistan de- ernment, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Environment and Forests to combat partridge to Capt. Amarinder Singh in
jab CM Amarinder Singh though Sidhu partridge as a gift from a Pakistan- spite Amarinder Singh asking him to Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, the crick- organised wildlife crime. an attempt to mend ties with him in the
described the act as an expression eter-turned-politician called on the Haryana-based volunteer Naresh aftermath of ‘my captain’ controversy.
of love and affection and embrace Chief Minister in Chandigarh. Kadyan has sought an FIR against Sid- After returning from Pakistan,
happened in a reflex action. Refusing to divulge the details of the hu for violating Section 39 of the Act. cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu had
Now, a few months later, Navjot Sin- brief meeting, Sidhu, after meeting the Ludhiana-based Sandeep Jain sought reportedly said that his captain Rahul
gh Sidhu has landed himself again in CM, said he is a disciplined soldier of an investigation. Under the Act, the Gandhi had sent him to Pakistan and
trouble over black partridge gift from the party. He said he has got a lot of love person possessing the trophy has to Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the cap-
Pakistan. Sandeep Jain, a volunteer of and affection from the Congress presi- disclose about it to the wildlife officials tain (Amarinder) also.
the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in dent and Capt Amarinder Singh. Sidhu at the border. Three Punjab ministers had de -
Punjab, said he got to know through said his statement had been blown out Conservationist and writer Vikram- manded the resignation of Sidhu from
newspapers that Punjab minister Nav- of proportion. the state cabinet following his contro-
jot Singh Sidhu brought a stuffed Black On Sidhu gifting him a stuffed par- versial remark. Enraged over his re-
Partridge from Pakistan and gifted it to tridge and other gifts that the minister Partridge sparks row mark, Punjab ministers Tripat Rajinder
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Ama- had brought from Pakistan, Capt Ama- Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarka-
rinder Singh. Jain said it’s illegal to keep rinder is learned to have said he would as it’s illegal to keep ria, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi had said
an animal or a bird or their body parts seek permission from the Wildlife an animal or a bird if Sidhu, which manages local bodies
without government permission and Department if a stuffed partridge could and tourism portfolios, does not accept
this is a clear violation of the Wildlife be kept. Amarinder said he wanted or their body parts Singh as his captain, he must step down
Protection Act 1972. Rahul Gandhi to be the Prime Minister. from the chief minster’s team.
The cricketer-turned-politician in After hogging the limelight for being without government Refusing to be drawn into a contro-
his first meeting with the chief minis- an aggressive campaigner in assembly permission and this versy, Sidhu said, “I have gifted it to the
ter on his return from Pakistan, gifted elections in three states, the Sidhu’s CM. Only he can speak on it.” Sidhu has
Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder meeting with Capt was seen in the is a clear violation already said the Chief Minister is like
Singh, a stuffed black patridge. This light of party leadership advising of the Wildlife his father.
prompted a Ludhiana-based wildlife Sidhu to iron out the differences with
activist to file a complaint with the • Unique present Black partridge is one of the unique species of birds found in interior Sindh the Chief Minister. Protection Act 1972 LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

TEHELKA / 31 DECEMBER 2018 48 WWW.TEHELKA.COM TEHELKA / 31 DECEMBER 2018 49 WWW.TEHELKA.COM

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