"....Hiding Behind Lies": KMSS Slams Assam CM Over Animals Transported To Vantara

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) on Tuesday slammed the Assam Chief Minister over the ongoing controversy surrounding the transportation of wild elephants to Vantara, a private zoo in Gujarat owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani.

The Assam-based peasant organization said that the Chief Minister is hiding behind lies after social media erupted with visuals of vehicles transporting elephants. “I categorically state, with all the authority at my command, that the elephants shown being transported in vehicles over the last two days are not from Assam,” Sarma had posted on X.

Addressing a presser today, the organization targeted the Assam Chief Minister saying, “His [Assam CM] comments denying transportation of animals to Ambani’s Zoo is unacceptable. The Chief Minister is hiding behind lies.”

The KMSS further asked, “How many animals have been transported from Assam Zoo? In all, 66 animals have been taken and in return, not a single animal has been brought to Assam. What was stated in the agreement?”

“Before the agreement in 2022, black panthers had already been transported to Ambani’s Zoo. How will taking away animals from our Zoo solve the human-animal conflicts? There is no evidence of where these animals are taken after crossing Assam’s borders and entering Bengal,” the organization added.

Earlier, Vantara issued a clarification in response to the outrage on social media, stating that the 20 elephants, with impending arrival, were rescued from the exploitative logging industry in Arunachal Pradesh.

However, KMSS today claimed that the elephants were in fact, being taken from Assam. “How can the Chief Minister hand what is a national treasure to a private individual? Were the black panthers sent to Vantara, a gift for Anant Ambani’s wedding? The Ambani family is running an international business with Assam’s wildlife. The government has to soon take some real steps to stop human-animal conflicts,” they said.