Thursday, June 9, 2016

शिकारी की संवेदनशीलता



किसानों के उजड़ते खेत 
शिकारी देख न पाया -
ढाई-सौ नील गायों को उसने 
अपनी बन्दूक से उड़ाया 


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This poem is in response to the culling of  Neelgais in Bihar after government approval. The blue bull is the largest antelope in Asia and considered a native of India, and has been ravaging crops and farms in the state of Bihar since long. What other options were available to the government? Did the Environment Department work on other options in the past, given the fact that Neelgais had been wrecking havoc since a long time? Is the sudden massive killing (culling) of the animal ethical? I don't have answers to these questions. Farmers' lives depend on their harvest. Their demand for relief is fair and urgent. But was this the only way out?

Blue Bull or Nilgai is the state animal of Haryana, my native state. This is a fact I discovered today while reading about them.



34 comments:

  1. Nice post..
    Welcome to my blog on new post.

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  2. What madness! I just have no words for this massive killing... :-(

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  3. it depends on which side of the fence you are

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    1. True....I wish there was (literally speaking) a fence that could protect both the farms and the Neelgais.

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  4. Shortcut aren't sure solutions. They are indeed harmful in long runs. Most of us think in short terms results.

    On philosophical note, things aren't in black & white but grey in Universe. Kindness may be seen as cruelty from other side. This is how the Existence is - Paradoxical. There isn't absolute good or evil.

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    1. Paradoxical indeed Ravish. But in between the black and white, there might be some possibility of vacillating towards either side. Which side will you choose?

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    2. No matter which side I choose, the side I choose will consider me as kind and the other side will consider me as cruel. This is how it is. If we accept it, we’ll be in peace; if don’t, we’ll suffer. We cannot please everyone.

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    3. Thanks for being back. It is difficult to accept it, isn't it? That is why we suffer.

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  5. This is heartwrenching. The massive killing :\

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  6. Tough times even for the most innocent creatures.

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  7. Actually we are invading their territories and not the other way round. Poor creatures, they were unfortunate to not have a religion. Very nicely written piece. You know how to drape current issues with poetry. Nice one Sunaina:-)

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    1. Thanks Amit. Some thoughts just strike you because they mock at the supposed rationality of this world.

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  8. No one has a clue to the solution to the problem-even ministers.So you have two of them openly fighting over the correct solution..

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  9. This 'problem' is entirely man made and we must own up to it instead of massacring poor defenceless animals. We encroach forest land and then when the forest animals look for food we kill them. Who lets it happen?

    When large tracks of agricultural land are transferred to make second houses, country homes, even new cities, what happens to the farmers? They sell their lands here and go encroach something closer to a forest, because it's cheaper. And then start complaint on wild life.

    Have you noticed how many cattle roam in the forests,? Tens of thousands of cattle eat up everything that the nilgai., blackbuck, wild boar and other animals would otherwise eat, leaving. Them hungry and looking for food. Yes, tens of thousands of cattle, in a forest meant for maybe 500 nilgai. The cattle here's get free food for their cattle, for which they charge us larg sums of money for milk and who loses? The poor wild life.

    I am appalled that we are letting all this happen. In a country with limitless population, we have to become more pragmatic with our farm holdings and also with our forests because they are not only our water and air quality security, they are also our spiritual connect.

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    1. I didn't know this Saumya. Thanks for sharing this information. This makes us even more guilty.

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  10. Very sad days indeed for the black bucks...animals do have the right to live as like humans and definitely there could have been other options than merciless culling such as relocation etc..

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  11. सुनैना जी, हर प्राणी को जीने का हक़ है। और यह हक़ छीनने का अधिकार इंसान को भी नहीं मिलना चाहिए।

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  12. सुनैना जी, हर प्राणी को जीने का हक़ है। और यह हक़ छीनने का अधिकार इंसान को भी नहीं मिलना चाहिए।

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  13. it is very sad to hear this...in this day and age such gruesome acts happen.

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  14. This is very sad to know, I am from Haryana too (Ambala)...but nevertheless!

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  15. This is indeed shocking. I agree with Ravish. It's quite a paradoxical situation, but there might be other ways too to deal the situation than massive killing. And your poignant poem touches the right cords. Truly heart wrenching!

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    1. Yes....Ravish has a point that I am struggling with too....Some situations bewilder you completely....

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  16. The state is a terror.The state is a murderer.The state is a rapist.

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