New Delhi: At a time when entire nation is mourning the death of Police horse Shaktiman, a political blame game has begun with Congress and BJP putting the charge of the unfortunate incident on each other.
Shaktiman breathed its last on Wednesday around 5: 30 PM, more than a month after it was brutally beaten during clashes between BJP protesters and the police which led to the horse’s leg being amputated.
Defending himself over the sad demise of horse, Ganesh Joshi said that he nothing to do with it. “Very sad. I already said that I am not at fault, if found guilty then cut my leg,” he said.
Joshi, the legislator from Mussoorie, allegedly attacked and severely injured Shaktiman during a BJP protest against the Harish Rawat government at Dehradun on March 14.
On the other hand, Congress has taken the BJP leader under its scanner holding him responsible for the horse’s death.
Congress spokeperson Randeep Sujrewala said, “Like Modi ji murdered democracy, a BJP MLA made fatal attack on Shaktimaan. Unfortunate.”
Several animal right activists, including PETA India chief executive Poorva Joshipura have targeted Joshi for his alleged inhuman act.
“The country should frame more stringent laws against animal assaulters so that people ‘like Joshi’ refrain from being cruel to them,” said Joshipura.
“We urge the government to act fast to ensure other animals are spared from cruelty and horrific deaths by strengthening the penalties for cruelty against animals,” he added.
“Unfortunate & sad. It was a painful death for him. Animal laws must be tightened” said another PETA activist Bhuvneshwari.
However, BJP has transferred the blame of Shaktiman’s death on Uttarakhand government.
“The state government is to be blamed for Shaktimaan’s death, the medical treatment was inadequate,” said Ajay Bhatt, Uttarakhand state BJP president and leader of opposition.
Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi too sought the arrest of the person responsible for the death of police horse and demanded the animal should no more be part of police forces.
"I am deeply saddened by the death of 'Shaktiman'. It is an extremely unfortunate incident. Horses should no longer be part of our police system," she said.
The horse had lost its leg after it was brutally beaten during clashes between BJP protesters and the police on March 14.
The 13-year-old animal was given a prosthetic leg and confined to the police lines. It was a well-trained horse and part of the Uttarakhand Mounted Police for years.
