TS Govt urged to check fitness of Rajani

Shalibanda: Niranjan, patron of Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Mandiram on Monday urged the State government to examine the health condition of the elephant Rajani, as it failed in fulfilling annual rituals during Ujjaini Mahankali Temple Bonalu Procession on Monday. The elephant was brought from the Karnataka by the State government

He urged the government to immediately engage a team of veterinary doctors to certify its fitness to participate in Bonalu procession in Old City next week.

Niranjan brought this to the notice of Indrakaran Reddy, Minister for Endowments, Law and Forest Departments on phone and also appealed to him to move the High Court immediately for getting the clearance.

"The elephant Rajani is fit to participate in the procession as usually but forest officials were reluctant to provide Rajani from Nehru Zoological Park on the pretext of court orders," he noted.

Niranjan expressed hope that the State government would respect the religious sentiments of the people and take immediate steps in this regard without depending upon the elephants from the outside State.

As the pachyderm which also historically serves during Moharram, even Shia Muslims have pitched in to support the argument. Syed Ali Jaffry, secretary of Shia Companions Organisation, said that he has already made a representation to State government to give NOC for providing private elephant permanently for Historic Bibi-Ka-alam procession but the government has kept the demand pending.