It might force govt not to press with 'elephant-unfriendly' amendments to Wildlife Act: Ramesh on Oscars win

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday hailed "The Elephant Whisperers" win at the Oscars, and said maybe this will force the Modi government not to press ahead with the "widely opposed elephant-unfriendly" amendments to the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

The Tamil documentary created history at the 95th Academy Awards by becoming the maiden Indian production to win in the Documentary Short Subject category.

Reacting to the development, Ramesh said, "It is wonderful that The Elephant Whisperers has won an Oscar. Maybe this will force the Modi govt not to press ahead with the widely opposed elephant-unfriendly amendments to the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972." In 2010 the elephant had been declared the national heritage animal, the Congress general secretary noted.

Ramesh had opposed many provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2022, when it was passed in the Rajya Sabha in December last year.