Process to get big cats started in 2010: Congress

Congress general secretary and communications in-charge, Jairam Ramesh, alleged that the prime minister “hardly ever acknowledges continuity in governance”

The Congress on Saturday hit out at the cheetah relocation project under the BJP-led NDA regime saying it was a diversion and that the programme to translocate big cats went back to 2010 — under the UPA regime.

This handout photograph taken on September 17, 2022 and released by the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) shows a wild cheetah being released at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh state. - Eight Namibian cheetahs arrived in India on September 17, decades after their local extinction, in an ambitious project to reintroduce the spotted big cats that has divided experts on its prospects. (Photo by PIB / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB)" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (AFP)

Congress general secretary and communications in-charge, Jairam Ramesh, alleged that the prime minister “hardly ever acknowledges continuity in governance”.

“PM hardly ever acknowledges continuity in governance. Cheetah project going back to my visit to Capetown on 25.04.2010 is the latest example,” Ramesh, who was the environment minister during 2009-11, said in a tweet. “The tamasha orchestrated by PM today is unwarranted and is yet another diversion from pressing national issues and Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he said.

When tigers were first translocated to Panna and Sariska during 2009-11, there were many prophets of doom, Ramesh said, adding that they were proved wrong. “Similar predictions are being made on the Cheetah project. The professionals involved are first-rate and I wish the project the very best!” he said. Modi on Saturday released cheetahs flown in from Namibia into a special enclosure at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh.

The party said the youth are marking the PM’s birthday as “National Unemployment Day”.

“This is a huge cause of concern,” said Congress’ social media and digital platforms chairperson Supriya Shrinate. “It is a very worrying thing that in the 20-24 year age group, 42 % youth are unemployed. If this is not a worrying situation, I wonder what is... and know the Prime Minister can neither hide behind Covid, nor behind the Russia- Ukraine war,” she said at a press conference.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi wished Modi but later tweeted, “8 cheetahs have come. Now tell me, why didn’t 16 crore jobs come in 8 years? There is a challenge for the youth, they will get employment.”