PETA India Urges Modi to Remove Cruel Captive-Elephant Trade and Misnomer ‘Vermin’ From Wildlife Protection Bill
For Immediate Release:
11 February 2022
Contact:
Hiraj Laljani; [email protected]
Monica Chopra ; [email protected]
Delhi – Today, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, after submitting its proposals to be considered for the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, to a parliamentary standing committee, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove provisions from the bill that would allow the cruel commercial trade of captive elephants, a practice universally condemned, and declare wild animals “vermin” – a term that denies society’s understanding of the nature of wildlife – thereby allowing their killing.
PETA India also commended the central government for including a new chapter for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix species in the Bill, in order to confer them protection in the country. The group welcomed the proposal to increase the penalties for wildlife-related crimes from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 and from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh wherever it is stated in the current law but requested a periodical review to look at increasing the penalties so that the amount could act as a deterrent to potential offenders.
PETA India’s proposal to the parliamentary standing committee and letter to Modi is available upon request.
“The government of India has been honouring elephants by declaring them National Heritage animals and by refusing to allow their use during Republic Day parades,” says PETA India CEO and veterinarian Dr Manilal Valliyate. “It’s high time that the law be framed to prohibit private persons from keeping elephants, unshackle these intelligent species, and allow them to live free, as nature intended.”
In its letter, PETA India says that the amendment proposing the insertion of Section 43(4) would encourage the illegal capture and commercial trade of elephants in India, defeating conservation efforts in their natural habitat. The group also warns that the amendment may increase cruelty to elephants in captivity and promote institutionalised corruption, as illegitimate ownership certificates would be necessary to conduct trade. PETA India also recommended amending Section 40 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972, to remove the exemption given to “live elephants”, thereby prohibiting any private person from acquiring, receiving, or keeping in control, custody, or possession any captive elephants in the country.
According to PETA India, the definition of “vermin” is archaic and declaring certain wild animals “vermin” in order to kill them in human–wild animal conflict areas is a colonial concept which violates Articles 14, 21, 51-A(g), and 48A of the Constitution of India. The group recommends that the government implement already established humane, scientific, and effective alternative methods for preventing and mitigating human-animal conflicts.
The decision of the central government to include CITES Appendix species in the bill is based on a 2018 Delhi High Court judgment which directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to make a decision on or before 30 September 2021 with respect to framing laws for the protection of foreign (i.e. exotic) animals who do not fall within the purview of the WPA. This petition filed by PETA India called for the rescue and rehabilitation of a hippo, who was not protected under the WPA, held in isolation by Asiad Circus.
PETA India opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
#
