Joymala, an elephant from Assam, which is now in the captivity at Srivilliputhur Andal Temple in Tamil Nadu, is at the centre of a major hullabaloo on the social media.
Joymala drew attention of the media after animal rights organization PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) posted a video that it claimed had been taken during a veterinary inspection of the elephant.
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The PETA video claimed the elephant is being kept illegally at the temple. “Here, she is being beaten in the sacred sanctum sanctorum of Krishnan Kovil…In 2021, she was tied to a tree and beaten ruthlessly,” it said, with visuals of an elephant being beaten.
Also read : Assam govt to send team to Tamil Nadu to examine condition of abused elephant ‘Joymala’
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However, the Tamil Nadu government has claimed that the PETA video is FAKE. The elephant Joymala is “absolutely doing good,” the Tamil Nadu government said, tweeting a 31-second video that it claims was taken on Monday.
“Elephant Joymala in Srivilliputhur Andal Temple. Absolutely doing good. Taken good care by the present team. Bathing facility has also been created. Some fake videos are circulating in social media. This video is taken today (5.9.22),” the tweet said, tagging PETA India.
One elephant is seen being bathed in a pool in the video put up by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Tamil Nadu government, which oversees temples affairs.
However, Northeast Now (nenow.in) cannot independently verify the two videos.
A team of experts, including internationally acclaimed elephant doctor Padmashree (Dr) Kushal Konwar Sarma, from Assam rushed to Chennai to inspect the wellbeing of Joymala and the other captive elephants in the temples of Tamil Nadu and bring them back home.
Interestingly, the Assam team was not allowed to inspect Joymala and the other elephants. Though Dr Sarma did not get to inspect Joymala, he has reportedly said that the video is suspected to be old and Joymala is now being treated well and properly taken care of.
“The team from Assam came after a video got circulated. It is an old video. The mahout was immediately dismissed and action was taken upon those who were responsible when it happened,” Anna Zoological Park Director Srinivas R Reddy said.
The sequence of events, including circulation of videos, allegations and counter allegations, has raised a number of questions.
Also read : PETA India rejects temple authorities’ claim on Assam elephant Joymala, provide details of facts
# If the claim of Tamil Nadu government is true, why did animal rights organization PETA circulate an old video?
# What will PETA gain by circulating the old video of Joymala being tortured?
# If the PETA video is old or Fake, why did the Assam government rush the team of experts to Tamil Nadu?
# If Joymala is being looked after well, why did the Tamil Nadu government deny permission to the team of experts (including internationally acclaimed elephant doctor Dr. Kushal Konwar Sarma) to physically inspect Joymala in Srivilliputhur Andal Temple?
# Why did the Assam Forest department react so quickly on Joymala, while hundreds of other elephants from Assam are languishing in temples in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh?
Also read : PETA asks Assam govt to immediately seize abused elephant Joymala from Tamil Nadu temple