Why K'taka is paying for promises made by Rahul Gandhi?Cong govt releases Rs 15 lakh for trampling victim in Wayanad

In a shocking development, the Karnataka's Congress government on the instruction of the Rahul Gandhi, has released aid worth 15 lakh for a man who died in an elephant attack in RaGa's Wayanad constituency in Kerala.

 

 

It should be noted that on 19th February, Ajeesh Joseph Panachiyil lost his life due to an elephant attack in the Pulpally region of Wayanad. Reports suggest that the elephant that killed Ajeesh was radio-collared by the Karnataka government in December 2023. On 17th February, Rahul Gandhi paused his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and rushed to Wayanad to meet Ajeesh’s family.

 

 

On Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with district officials in Wayanad and urged them to provide the assured compensation to the victims' kin without delay. This comes after 3 people were killed by wild animal attacks, including Ajeesh, who was killed by the elephant on February 10.

 

Following this, elected representatives and the Government of Kerala had requested the Karnataka government to be largehearted and pay compensation for that case, the minister's office said.

 

In the letter, Khandre claimed that an elephant named Makna was relocated to Bandipur Tiger Reserve in November 2023 from Belur of district Hassan in Karnataka. The elephant had a radio collar. He was later seen in the Wayanad area of Kerala. Khandre then claimed that it was Makna who attacked Ajeesh, leading to his death.

 

 

 

In the post, they also shared a letter issued by Eshwar B Khandre, Karnataka State Minister for Forest, Ecology, and Environment, to Rahul Gandhi. The letter mentioned that the state government announced compensation to deceased Ajeesh’s family, who “lost life due to elephant trampling in Wayanad, Kerala”. The letter said that Gandhi advised KC Venugopal, general secretary of the All India Congress Committee, to release the funds, and its message was conveyed to Khandre. He then discussed the matter with CM Siddaramiah, and accordingly, the state government set aside funds for the compensation.

 

In an official communication, Karnataka’s Forest Minister said, “The elected representative of Wayanad, Shri Rahul Gandhi, requested the Government of Karnataka to be largehearted and pay compensation for that case. The Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Sri Eshwar Khandre, took up the matter of compensation with Chief Minister Shri Siddaramaiah on Sunday, 18th February 2024… The Chief Minister agreed to pay compensation to the family of Shri Ajeesh at par with any citizen of Karnataka.”

 

Earlier, when protests erupted in Wayanad after the incident, Khandre argued that it was incorrect to label elephants as “Karnataka elephants” or “Kerala elephants” as they are migratory.

 

 

In a post on X, BJP Karnataka wrote, “Shocking loot of Karnataka taxpayers’ money to please Gandhi-Scion Rahul Gandhi! Congress government has illegally disbursed Rs.15 lakh in “compensation” to a deceased individual from Rahul Gandhi’s Wayanad constituency in Kerala, attributing his death to elephant trampling, claiming that the wild animal belonged to Karnataka.”