Of Sariska and Political Relocation by Puneet Rajhans

Of Sariska and Political Relocation

Details haven't come out on how Jairam Ramesh reached Sariska. Before his arrival to Sariska, the story doing the rounds was that the tiger who had fallen to death was due to the scuffle that broke out with another male tiger for the territory the two shared.

Once Ramesh reached the venue he gave a new spiel to the Sariska tragedy, citing from credible reports which he and only he had access to that the dead tiger was poisoned. Not necessarily here to find out what was the quantum of poison that was administered to the tiger he reached Sariska with some other plans on his agenda. After reaching the conclusion that tiger indeed had been poisoned, he declared that efforts on translocation of tiger would continue without a break. Sariska still has enough potential to accept tigers from other reserves. This one isolated incident can't break my resolve to relocate tigers to Sariska.

As he made these obsevations he went deep inside the Sariska reserve and sougth certain clarifications. He wasn't just looking at relocation of tigers. Relocation of the political class was very much on his agenda. Seeing his tribe deplete in strength and enter the stage of oblivion, the brief for him from the political establishments across country was how best the political class could adjust itself to the reality that it had not just been shunned by the media-cum-minning lobby; their fall from the pedestal as far as the party machinery went was entirely unexpected. THe disheartened lot wanted a safe sanctuary for them as the place they would be asked to relocate in the city where they were Kings and Commanders once would be no safe one. So repeated reminders were sent to Ramesh that he needs to look for space for them where they could park themselves for a period till their services were not sougth by the party high command.
In line with this brief and attempts to get the requisite support the Minister has started visiting different tiger reserves and the adjoining areas. Because Ramesh too believes that given the times we live in and unsubstantiated allegations that tail us the days may not be far off when the sizeable number of cabinet colleagues at the Centre may be asked to make way for the new lot whose taint is yet to be confirmed. He does not rule out himself from this process of churning and is looking for space for himself.
The Minister's logic is simple: "You never know from which side the storm would erupt and blow you away. Look at the case of Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddy. He did so much for his party. The party high command is not prepared to wait for the judicial probe and is eager to see his back. Once he is gone the state would be in entire mess with polls the only way out. Like him there are others who need safe sanctuary."
And Minister Ramesh left the venue with the belief that the political class of today is up against insurmountable odds much bigger than the odds faced by the tiger community. If he has to take steps to protect the tiger community he also has to take steps to see the political class gets safe sanctuary given the clarion call from an alarming lot to declare them an endangered specie. As a way out, he has suggested a Political Tiger Summit in the badlands that went beyond UP and Bihar.