Silent march in Kolhapur demands return of elephant Mahadevi from Vantara

Mahadevi was sent to Vantara after a court order from the Bombay High Court. The court made this decision after an NGO reported that Mahadevi was in a lot of pain both mentally and physically. The Supreme Court approved this decision on July 25.

Kolhapur: People in Kolhapur are getting more and more upset about the 36-year-old elephant named Mahadevi being moved to Vantara in Gujarat. A big crowd of people walked silently through the streets with signs showing their support for bringing Mahadevi back. The protest started at Nandani and ended at the district collector's office, where they handed over a letter to the authorities.

Mahadevi was sent to Vantara after a court order from the Bombay High Court. The court made this decision after an NGO reported that Mahadevi was in a lot of pain both mentally and physically. The Supreme Court approved this decision on July 25. Mahadevi was brought from Karnataka in 1992 and lived at the Shri Jinsen Bhattarak Jain Math in Kolhapur.

Since Mahadevi left, there has been a strong feeling among the people of Kolhapur. BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik and Shiv Sena MP Dhairyasheel Mane have asked the central government to file a legal statement in the Supreme Court and get permission to bring Mahadevi back. Mahadik even met with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and gave him a letter. Health Minister Prakash Abitkar also had a meeting with forest officials and told them about the efforts to get Mahadevi back.

Vantara said that Mahadevi has serious health issues like foot rot, arthritis, and mental stress. Because she is lonely, she shows signs like shaking her head constantly. Vantara posted on Instagram that they are taking care of Mahadevi with care and trying to help her start a new life there.

The people of Kolhapur are not just protesting on the streets, but also on social media and mobile networks. Some local leaders say that a lot of people have stopped using Jio, which is part of Reliance, because Vantara is owned by the same company. Congress MLC Satej Patil said over 200,000 people have signed forms to bring Mahadevi back, and these forms will be sent to the President's office.

What is Vantara?

Vantara is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center that covers about 3,000 acres in Jamnagar and was developed by Reliance.
The animals there get hydrotherapy, care from specialized vets, and a social environment. However, people in Kolhapur don't think this place is better for Mahadevi than her monastery. Now, this case has become a challenge between following the law and the feelings of the public.