Maharashtra Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar’s troubles mounted on Saturday, as the ruling Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray trashed the inquiry committee appointed by the State Government to probe the tigress Avni as “farce” and demanded the appointment of a judicial inquiry under a retired Judge..
Talking to media persons, Uddhav demanded to know as to how the State forest officials who gave “supari” ( contract) to a sharpshooter to kill Avni could be a part of a committee that would go into the death of the tigress in the forests of Yavatmal district in eastern Maharashtra on November 2.
“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has defended Mungantiwar by saying that his minister had not shot dead any tigress. If that is the case, was the surgical strike on Avni ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi?. Why did he (Mungantiwar) credit for the elimination of Avni? That being the case, why does not Mungantiwar accept responsibility for the elimination of the tigress?,” the Sena president asked.
Sena’s youth wing president Aditya Thackeray, who incidentally was the first to slam the Maharashtra government for tigress Avni’s killing, rooted for a “free and fair” judicial inquiry.
“The committee for inquiry on the hunting of tigress Avni is a sham. It is only an arrogant, thick skinned way to give each other a clean chit and call the hunt legal. It includes everyone who reports to the Minister (who supports this hunt) & those who possibly invited the hunter,” Aditya tweeted.
“There should be a free and fair judicial inquiry, if there is nothing to hide. This committee is a farce. Rather just give a clean chit and say that the State Government supports hunting, arrogantly. All the officers and officials from the entire ministry involved in this must face not only a judicial inquiry, but a narco test/ lie detector,” Aditya added.