SHE comes from country’s prominent Nehru-Gandhi political clan. She is Member Parliament for the seventh time. She happens to be third senior most Parliamentarian and has remained minister in four governments. But still her name often goes synonymous with animal rights than being some typical politician. This is how most people in India and elsewhere globally know Maneka Gandhi, the woman who shot to fame amid challenges of sorts.

AFTER 12 YEARS
 Wearing a long organic-cotton Kurta and Choodidar Pyjama, and hair as usual combed in her typical style, Gandhi arrives at the plush lawns of the The Lalit Grand Palace in the foothills of Zaberwan Hills, for interaction, first ever on dog menace in Srinagar, a meeting that realized after a gap of 12 years since her previous visit when she held a union ministry portfolio in the then BJP led government.
 You offer her a chair facing the Dal lake but she softly says: No. “Watching Dal may distract our interaction,” Gandhi responds with a smile though she instantly admits of being fond of picturesque Kashmir since her childhood. And then during the exclusive chat with Greater Kashmir, she speaks her heart out narrating something that takes you by surprise. Though often projected by New Delhi based media as astute animal rights activist, she believes that human life is of paramount importance.
 The same concern attracted her to Srinagar, which has been witnessing a record number of deadly bites with around a dozen people, mostly children and women felling prey to canine bites everyday while a month back a young man was drowned to death when chased by stray packs.

HUMAN SAFETY
 “I came to Kashmir because it wasn’t pleasant to read about children being attacked (by dogs), people being scared again and again. I have not come here to care for dogs. I am saying that humans are paramount therefore we must do whatever we can to protect humans. That’s the most important thing,” explains Gandhi, who remained editor of a newspaper in the yesteryears.
 “I am not here for welfare of dogs. My concern is the welfare of people, always. I am here because a situation has arisen which is causing problem to people of Kashmir,” she adds, a few hours after meeting on the issue with people from AWBI and government top brass led by Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal. 

‘KILLING DOGS, NO SOLUTION’
 Gandhi says if killing of stray dogs had been a solution, she would have supported it. “If simply by killing dogs we could protect humans and human cities in India, I would say, OK! Kill them. Killing dogs is very easy. But it’s not solution rather adds to the problem,” she says.
 She believes that killing dogs has a reverse impact. “In 80s, we started researching. MCD New Delhi did a survey and found four lakh dogs,” she says adding “They killed nine lakhs out of four lakh.” But how is it possible? “Woh Martay Gai, Woh Badhte Gai(The more they killed, the more took birth),” she replies.
 “So the idea is how reach a point where we reduce the bites and we remove rabies. That’s my aim,” she says adding solution is sterilization, for which she would provide financial assistance.

17,000 FACTOR
 Gandhi believes that no more than 17,000 dogs could be on prowl in Srinagar. Asked how, she replies: “In an average meat eating City with a bad garbage problem the ratio is 1:100. Let’s take Kashmir as extreme say 1: 50 that way Srinagar must be having a maximum of 17,000 dogs.”
 “Dog census in Srinagar looks the way Government of India did of tigers believing 25,000 tigers were there but when ground reality was seen the figure was mere 1400,” she says adding the dog census mantra looks like “Do Kay Chaar, Chaar Kay Chai.”
 The BJP MP says if thousand dogs are sterilized a month, the problem will finish off within two years.

 BOTTOMLINE
 A very few people could be knowing that this celebrity, who is often projected as animal rights activist alone, runs as many as five big orphanages across the country, apart from homes for elderly destitute. During her previous visit to Kashmir, as a then Union Minister, she dedicated to people, a first of its kind rehabilitation centre for special children, the Composite Regional Centre at Bemina. She has also authored several books including one on her husband Sanjay Gandhi, besides Brahma’s Hair published by Penguin.
 But why controversies often surround Maneka Gandhi over her being animal rights activist? Is this because she avoids talking more on other fronts, particularly politics?  Or, does she speak more on animal rights though she believes in human welfare? Or, is this celebrity media shy because she often avoids fourth estate interactions? Queries like these make one curious. She responds to these with a smile but doesn’t comment much.
 But Gandhi has emerged as a name that upholds her beliefs, despite all odds, particularly the criticism, she at times faces. She seemingly ensures that nothing distracts her aims. She wants to give her fullest. May be this is why she avoided to enjoy watching Dal lake while talking about the serious problem, which has emerged as a big threat for the people of Srinagar City while Gandhi’s role may take it towards better or worst!

Lastupdate on : Mon, 2 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 2 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 3 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST