Crab Abused by Maharashtra MLA; PETA India Calls For Action
In response to Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) Maharashtra Legislative Assembly member Rohit Pawar’s dangling of a tied, struggling crab to make a point during a recent press conference, PETA India fired off letters to National President of the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and Member of the Rajya Sabha Shri Sharadchandra Govind Pawar, District Election Officer Smt Minal Kalaskar, and MLA Rohit Pawar. In the letters, PETA India points out violations of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; the Maharashtra Model Code of Conduct; an order issued by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, dated 24 March 2014, prohibiting the use of animals for election campaigning; the Election Commission of India (ECI) Manual on Model Code of Conduct; and a letter issued by ECI on 19 September 2012. PETA India has also requested that the crab be handed over to the group for veterinary care and rehabilitation back into nature.
View this post on Instagram
Following work by PETA India in 2012, ECI issued an advisory instructing all political parties to refrain from using animals in political campaigns. In 2013, the State Election Commission of Maharashtra prohibited the use of donkeys, bulls, elephants, and cows during election campaigns and also instructed authorities to take strict action against anyone who violates animal protection laws for political campaigns.
PETA India notes that during election campaigns and political rallies, animals are often beaten, whipped, kicked, and terrorised while being paraded through the streets and shoved into crowds of shouting, jostling bystanders. They’re also often forced to carry loads beyond their capacity and denied adequate food and water, and they can be seriously injured in the mayhem.
