Patna,(BiharTimes): The killing of ‘Neelgais’ (blue-bulls) in Mokama ‘Tal’ area of Bihar has brought two Union ministers face to face. The state BJP is also caught in a bind over the issue as Sushil Kumar Modi, had as the deputy chief minister of Bihar, a few years back, supported such initiative as the ‘Neelgais’ (blue-bulls) destroy standing crop, especially pulses.

Some environmentalists and animal rights activists too have decried the Centre and Bihar government’s move in this direction. They are of the view that it is human being––and not otherwise––who are encroaching into jungles and thus shrinking the living space for animals. Reports from New Delhi said that Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi, on Thursday criticized the Environment Ministry for allowing Bihar and several other states culling of wild animals.

Maneka, an animal rights activist, termed the recent killing of blue-bulls in Bihar as “biggest ever massacre”.

However, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar defended the permission on the plea that it is done on request of state governments to protect crops.

Maneka said the Union Environment Ministry is writing to every state government, allowing them to provide a list of animals that can be killed so that the Centre can give permission.

“This is happening for the first time. I don’t understand this lust for killing of animals,” she was quoted by PTI.

On the other hand, Javadekar insisted that it was “scientific management” of animal population and the permissions for killing animals designated as ‘vermin’ were restricted to particular areas and time period.

Maneka claimed the Centre has allowed killing of blue-bulls in Bihar, elephants in West Bengal, monkeys in Himachal Pradesh, peacocks in Goa and wild boars in Chandrapur even when the wildlife departments of states are saying they do not wish to kill animals.

She said blue-bulls were killed in Bihar even when neither the village head nor the farmers have called for their killing.

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.

According to Maneka 53 wild boars have been killed in drought-hit Chandrapur in Maharashtra and the Environment Ministry has allowed killing of 50 more, even when the state wildlife department does not want that.

Commenting on the dispute between the two Union ministers JD(U) spokesman, Ajay Alok said 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.

However, another JD(U) spokesman, Neeraj Kumar justified the killing and said that in June 2015 the Centre gave permission to kill the blue-bulls till November 2016.

He said that the state government is sensitive towards the life of animals, but a more balanced and appropriate approach should be evolved as it concerns the standing crop of poor farmers.