In an insane suggestion, a senior Madhya Pradesh Minister has urged the government to form a law to allow people to domesticate big cats like lions and tigers for their protection. Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Kusum Mehdele has sent a proposal to the state’s forest department urging to introduce laws for the same citing the example of few African and South-East Asian countries like Thailand which keep tigers as pets and have given a huge contribution to increase the population of the big cats. Pointing out that there have been several projects in the country for the conservation of the tigers, the MP minister said that despite spending crores of rupees on such projects, we haven’t witnessed a surprising hike in the number of tigers. The minister also remarked that in the countries like Thailand, people are keeping tigers and lions as pets and it has given a huge boost to the population of the rare species. She said in the proposal sent to the state Forest Minister Gaurishankar Shejwar in September last year that if we can set such rules in our country, then we should immediately take necessary action and the necessary guidelines should be derived. Post receiving the proposal from the minister, Madhya Pradesh Principal Chief Conservation of Forests Narendra Kumar has penned a letter to the National Tigers Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) seeking their views over the suggestion. "Kindly give your suggestion or comments in this regard so that the minister can be informed about it," Kumar said in the letter. The copy of the note sheet carrying the minister's suggestion and Kumar's letter were accessed by Bhopal-based wildlife activist Ajay Dubey following an RTI appeal filed by him. "It is surprising that such a bizarre suggestion could be made by senior minister Mehdele. She hails from the Panna region of the state, which is known for its tiger population. I denounce such a proposal and request the central government not to give its permission for domesticating the tiger," Dubey said. Six tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh -- Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Panna, Bori-Satpura, Sanjay-Dubri and Pench -- have as many as 257 big cats. While the tiger population in the country was estimated to be at 1,706 in 2010, according to latest data, it has risen to 2,226 in 2014.
