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Sidhu rides elephant to protest against petro price hike Amritsar, June 7 Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, BJP MP rode

an elephant through streets of the holy city today to protest against steep rise in the prices of the petroleum products by the UPA government. Mr Sidhu along with other BJP workers used this unique way to protest by riding an elephant, which was pulling a Maruti car and other workers with scooters on horse carts.
BJP MP Navjot Sidhu rides an elephant to protest against the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel in Amritsar on Wednesday. Photo by Rajiv Sharma

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060608/punjab1.htm#5

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sidhu-badal-ride-elephants-as-people-continue-to-suffer/450392/#

Online Petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-abused-elephants-book-navjot-singhsidhu-naresh-kadyan

The International Organization for Animal Protection filed a complaint against Navjot Sidhu and BJP leader Balbir Punj for violating Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act for riding an elephant to protest against inflation.

Jumbo trouble for Sidhu, Punj Amritsar, June 23 Senior BJP leader Balbir Punj and party MP Navjot Singh Sidhu are in trouble for riding a jumbo here as a part of the nation-wide protest against the elephant rise in prices. The International Organisation for Animal Protection (OIPA), an NGO affiliated with the United Nations, has lodged a complaint against Sidhu and Punj for violating Section 268 IPC, Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, and sections 3, 11 and 38 of the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1972. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120624/punjab.htm#5 Senior BJP leader Balbir Punj and party MP Navjot Singh Sidhu are in trouble for riding a jumbo here as a part of the nation-wide protest against the elephant rise in prices.

The International Organisation for Animal Protection (OIPA), an NGO affiliated with the United Nations, has lodged a complaint against Sidhu and Punj for violating Section 268 IPC, Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, and sections 3, 11 and 38 of the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. In a communiqu, OIPA India representative Naresh Kadyan, also founder-chairman of People for Animals Haryana unit, said: The elephant is a national heritage animal of India protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life Protection Act. It should not be used for publicity or kept in captivity for personal gain and profit. The OIPA demanded that Punj and Sidhu be booked for violating the Wild Life Protection Act and wanted that the elephant be rescued from the owner after cancelling his ownership. The elephant was abused, handled with an iron ankush and used as a performing animal without being registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India, which is mandatory, Kadyan said. OIPA has also approached People for Animals chairperson Maneka Gandhi and urged her to initiate legal action against the duo. Sidhu also violated the MPs oath on protecting the environment and wildlife. We urge the Election Commission to cancel his Lok Sabha membership, he said.

Mocking Navjot Singh Sidhu's act, who sat atop an elephant while filing his nominations on Wednesday, Congress criticized SAD-BJP leaders for indulging in glamour and glory once witnessed during the Mughal rule in India. "While people of Punjab continue to suffer due to lack of basic facilities in Punjab, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and his team have embarked upon the path of glamour and glory once indulged by the Mughal emperors," State Congress spokesman and Bolath MLA, Sukhpal Singh Khaira said in a statement.

Indian Express dated April 23, 2009 reporting: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sidhu-badal-ride-elephants-as-people-continue-tosuffer/450392/

Former Indian cricketer and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu (top R) along with members of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) ride on elephants as they shout slogans against central government during a BJYM protest rally against corruption and black money in Amritsar on December 20, 2011.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Navjot-Singh-Sidhus-elephant-ride-gets-animal-rights-bodys-goat/articleshow/14365355.cms

AMRITSAR: An animal rights body on Saturday lodged a complaint against BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu for riding an elephant here during the party's nationwide agitation against inflation. UN affiliate-International Organization for Animal Protection (OIPA) filed a complaint against Sidhu and BJP leader Balbir Punj for violating the Wild Life Protection Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. "The elephant is a national heritage animal and is protected under schedule one of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. It can't be abused by being used as a publicity tool," said OIPA India representative, Naresh Kadyan. He demanded rehabilitation of the abused elephant and asked why the animal was used without registration with the Animal Welfare Board of India. The registration is required under section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Animal-rights-body-file-complaint-against-Navjot-Singh-Sidhu/articleshow/14353806.cms

Animal rights body file complaint against Navjot Singh Sidhu - AMRITSAR: Riding an elephant on way to court arrest has landed BJP MP from Amritsar parliamentary constituency Navjot Singh Sidhu in soup. International Organization for Animal Protect (OIPA) , a United Nations affiliated organization, has lodged complaint against Sidhu and senior BJP leader Balbir Punj for violation of section 268 IPC , Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 and the section 3, 11 and 38 of the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals Act. Sidhu and Punj had taken elephant ride on Friday during BJP's nationwide protest against price hike.OIPA, India representative Naresh Kadyan who is also founder Chairman, People for Animals,

PFA Haryana told TOI on Saturday that elephant was a national heritage animal of India, protected under scheduled one of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 and couldn't be abused for publicity tool nor to keep in captivity for personnel gain and profit. He said they had demanded immediate rescue and rehabilitation of abused elephant .He also questioned as to why the elephant was used as performing animals without registration with the Animal Welfare Board of India as required under section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. "BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and Balbir Punj have violated the Act so they should be booked" he said.OIPA also questioned Maneka Gandhi, founder People for Animals to clear her stand on the issue.OIPA representative said that the matter would be taken up before the Speaker of Lok Sabha, the Election Commission of India for disqualification of Sidhu.

To, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. The Secretary General to the Lok Sabha, New Delhi. The Chief Election Commissioner of India, New Delhi. The Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Forest, New Delhi. The Director General of Punjab Police, Chandigarh. The Chief Wild Life Warden of Punjab, Chandigarh. The Additional Director, Wild Life Crime Control Bureau, New Delhi. The State Election Commissioner of Punjab, Chandigarh. The Secretary to the HE the Governor of Punjab, Chandigarh. The Chief Secretary to the Government of Punjab, Chandigarh.

Subject: Petition under Right to Information Act, 2005.


Greetings, Kindly refer to the article 51 A (g) of the Constitution of India read with the oath taken by Shri Navjot Singh Sidhu, amount spent to the elephant owners for hiring their services to take part in the protest, election campaigning read with the :

# Guidelines for care and management of captive elephants: http://moef.nic.in/pe/2.pdf


# Notification about National heritage animal of India: http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/national-heritage-animaldeclrn.pdf

# Punjab-Haryana High Court: State Of Punjab vs Navjot Singh Sidhu and Anr. On 6 December, 2006: http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1991049/ # Supreme Court of India: Navjot Singh Sidhu vs State of Punjab & Anr on 23 January, 2007: http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1551704/ Online complaint lodged with the Punjab Police bearing No. 442937672, Ministry of Environment and Forest No. MOEAF/E/2012/00182 and with the President of India office No.PRSEC/E/2012/08756. Past history of elephant abuse by Navjot Singh Sidhu: 1. Protest on elephant ride reported by the Tribune dated June 8, 2006. 2. Elephant ride during filling of nomination for Amritsar seat on April 22, 2009 reported by the Indian Express dated April 23, 2009. 3. Protest reported on elephant ride on December 20, 2011. 4. Protest on elephant ride on June 22, 2012. It would be pertinent to mention here that the Election Commission of India issued orders on dated November 20, 1997 not to abuse live elephant during elections, hence Sidhu violated these orders.

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