Thiruvananthapuram: Forest Minister A K Saseendran on Sunday criticised Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) for allegedly issuing a provocative statement over the recent gaur attacks in the state. Demanding protection for people from wild animal attacks, the KCBC had asked the government to protect the lives of people the way it safeguards wild animals.
Terming this statement 'provocative', the minister said the bishops' body was trying to bargain with the dead.
“KCBC's statement was aggressive. They have to take efforts to pacify protesting people and hold talks with the government to solve people's issues. I don't demand they do it. But they should avoid such provocative statements which are against their rich heritage," the minister pointed out.
'Expressing people's concerns'
Reacting to the minister's criticism, KCBC said expressing people's concerns should not be construed as provocation. The bishops' body called for the need to protect the right to protest. “People have the right to live peacefully. A man who was reading a newspaper in his courtyard was killed by a gaur. The citizen can share his concerns only with the government,” KCBC deputy secretary general Fr Jacob G Palakkyappilly told Manorama News.
The minister said forest department officials are trying to trace the gaur that killed two people at Erumeli where residents have intensified their protests. They want the officials to kill the wild animal after the forest department revealed plans to tranquilise it. The local protest has been turning into a mass movement with more people and associations extending support.
Chackochan (70) and Thomas (71) were killed at Kottayam's Erumeli after a gaur attacked them on Friday. Meanwhile, Samuel (64) was killed at a place near Kollam's Anchal (about 90 km from Erumeli), located in the eastern part of the district, in a separate gaur attack.
On the same day, another gaur had caused panic among local residents when it strayed into a residential settlement near Chalakudy town in Thrissur district.
