Tue Nov 05 12:21:54 UTC 2024: ## Congress Demands Probe into Elephant Deaths in Bandhavgarh, Calls for Forest Minister’s Resignation

**Bhopal, November 5, 2024:** The Madhya Pradesh Congress has accused the state government of being responsible for the deaths of ten elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) and demanded a CBI or judicial probe into the incident. The party also called for the resignation of state Forest Minister Ramniwas Rawat.

Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath led the charge, alleging that the government has failed to investigate the deaths properly and is protecting the culprits. He urged Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to initiate a CBI or judicial inquiry to ensure justice for the animals and prevent further such incidents.

State Congress president Jitu Patwari claimed the elephants were poisoned and alleged that the government is concealing other elephant deaths. He accused the government of prioritizing election campaigning over animal welfare and cited the example of Minister Rawat, who is contesting the upcoming Vijaypur assembly bypoll.

Patwari demanded Rawat’s resignation, stating that his involvement in politics while elephants are dying exemplifies the BJP’s hypocrisy. He also criticized the government’s spending on bringing cheetahs while failing to protect native species like tigers.

The deaths of the elephants, which occurred between October 29th and 31st, have sparked outrage and raised concerns about the safety of wildlife in the state. While the government has suspended two senior officials of the BTR following an internal probe, the Congress believes this is not enough and demands accountability from the highest levels.

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