By IANS
Jaipur : Giving in to pressure from animal rights groups, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has directed that places be identified within public parks to feed pigeons.
The chief minister’s order comes just a few days after her statement that falcons would be unleashed on pigeons at Albert Hall here as the latter were damaging the heritage building.
Raje apparently decided to make amends after a delegation from People for Animals, an animal rights group, met her in Ajmer. The delegation suggested that public gardens be developed as safe habitats for birds as done in Bhilwara by the civic body there.
“Accepting the suggestion, the chief minister has directed officials to identify such places for birds in all parks, including the Ram Niwas Garden in Jaipur,” a senior official said.
There was a hue and cry in the state over Raje’s statement that pigeons would be shooed away from Albert Hall.
“We will bring falcons at Albert Hall, that would make the pigeons fly to other destinations. These pigeons damage the building and make the place dirty,” Raje had told media after inspecting the heritage building here Tuesday.
Animal activists had threatened to launch a protest and had asked the Animal Welfare Board of India to take strict action against Raje along with people keeping falcons in captivity.
Naresh Kadyan, chairman of People for Animals, Haryana, had said: “We request that strict action be taken against the chief minister for taking such a cruel decision.”