Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Sunday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his visit to Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka for the commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger. The leader said that PM Modi will take full credit for the project that was launched 50 years back. Ramesh added that the Prime Minister will grab headlines but the reality was just the opposite.
In a tweet, he said, "Today at Bandipur the PM will take full credit for Project Tiger that was launched 50 years ago. He will do much tamasha while he dismantles all laws enacted to protect environment, forest, wildlife & tribals living in forest areas. Headlines he will grab, but reality is opposite."
Ramesh's statement comes as the Prime Minister visited the Bandipur Tiger Reserve early this morning and interacted with frontline field staff and Self Help Groups involved in conservation activities. PM Modi also visited the Theppakadu Elephant camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu and held an interaction with mahouts and kavadis of the elephant camp. He also interacted with Field Directors of tiger reserves that have scored highest in the recently concluded 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation exercise.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka from April 8.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Secunderabad Railway Station in Telangana on Saturday. PM Modi arrived in Hyderabad on Saturday. He was received by Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad. Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Bandi Sanjay was also present at the airport. He also flagged off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao did not receive PM Modi at the airport. Instead, the CM deputed state minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav to receive the Prime Minister at Begumpet airport in his absence, as reported by ANI. The Telangana CM also skipped Prime Minister Modi's programme in the state on Saturday.
After flagging off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express, PM Modi said that It will connect faith, modernity, technology and tourism. "Today I have flagged off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express. It will connect faith, modernity, technology and tourism," PM Modi said, as quoted by ANI.