Latest news with #P.J.Joseph
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
LDF govt. trying to mislead people on wildlife issue: Kerala Congress
A day after the Kerala Cabinet resolved to seek the approval from the Union government to cull wild animals that threaten human life and property, the Kerala Congress led by P.J. Joseph alleged that the move was aimed at influencing the Nilambur byelection. Addressing the media, Kerala Congress deputy chairman and Kottayam MP K. Francis George pointed out that the existing legal framework already empowered the State to cull animals and that the government made the latest decision with an intention to deceive people who are facing regular attacks by wild animals. 'In fact, when this issue was raised in Parliament, the Union Forest Minister had said that the State Chief Wildlife Warden has the power to hunt, kill or capture, Schedule 1 and 2 wildlife species that are harmful to human life and cause damage to agriculture, as outline in the sections 11 (i)a and 11 (i)b of the Wildlife Protection Act, as per the circumstances. The Union Environment and Forest Minister confirmed this in writing in Parliament on September 2, 2024 and April 8, 2025,' he said. 'Moreover, when I raised a demand to amend the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on March 12, 2025, the Forest Minister reiterated his statement and said the Union Forest Ministry has given a written instruction to the Additional Chief Secretary of the State Wildlife Department in this regard,' Mr. George said. 'The letter from the Union Forest Ministry to the State government specifically states that under section 11(i) a and 11(i) b, the Chief Wildlife Warden or the officer designated by the Chief Wildlife Warden must be given permission to cull wild animals that pose a threat to human life or property. This letter was sent to the State government by the Deputy Inspector General of Forests on April 3, 2025. The State government's decision to seek permission to shoot wild animals, despite the existence of such a clear directive, is an attempt to deceive the people,' he said.
The Hindu
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kerala Congress gets ‘autorickshaw' as official election symbol
The Election Commission of India has recognised Kerala Congress as a State party and allotted autorickshaw symbol to it. Party chairman and MLA P.J. Joseph confirmed that the recognition came in the wake of the party's performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Kerala Congress, a key ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), had been functioning without an official symbol after the Election Commission of India awarded the 'two leaves' symbol to the Jose K. Mani-led Kerala Congress (M) faction. In the previous Lok Sabha polls, Kerala Congress candidate K. Francis George contested from Kottayam using the autorickshaw symbol and won. Following this success, the party decided to adopt the symbol as its own. The dispute over the party's official symbol dates back to the Pala by-election in September 2019. Triggered by the death of veteran legislator and KC(M) chairman K.M. Mani, the by-election led to a major rift within the party, splitting it into factions led by Jose K. Mani and P.J. Joseph. During the poll, Mr. Joseph declined to allocate the party symbol to Jose Tom Pulikkunnel, the Mani group's candidate. As a result, Mr. Pulikkunnel had to contest as a UDF-backed Independent, with the 'pineapple' symbol. The symbol dispute was taken to the Election Commission of India and dragged on through a legal battle, before finally being resolved in favour of the current arrangement.
