Rahul Khanna asks CM to ban elephants from Mumbai city 
By IndiaFM News Bureau, September 21, 2006 - 04:38 IST
Rahul Khanna, on learning from PETA of the elephant who was badly injured by the truck in Chembur on 20th morning, immediately took time out from his busy shooting schedule in Bangkok to write an impassioned plea to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra asking him to stop the entry of elephants into the city of Mumbai.
"Elephants are social creatures and in the wild, they spend about 18 hours a day walking, feeding, bathing in water holes and interacting with other elephants" writes Rahul. "They are intelligent and sensitive animals and are known to mourn the loss of a relative, just as humans do. In captivity, less exercise, hard flooring (which does not have any 'give' to it) and standing around in faeces and urine when chained up causes cracked and soft toe nails".
Rahul further says, "They are made to walk and beg on hot tar roads in the city. The methods used to control elephants are very cruel and cause a threat to the mahouts as well. This is because hands on training requires absolute dominance of the elephants by the keeper which can only be achieved initially by inflicting pain on the animals and then reinforced by the threat of it. We have all seen the 'ankus' used by the mahouts to cruelly control elephants".
"I am writing to ask you; as the Chief Minister of Maharshtra, won't you please ban the entry of these gentle giants into the city of Mumbai" begs Rahul? "Let Mumbai be the first city to take a compassionate step and say 'Elephants belong in the wild, not in cities'".
Way to go Rahul!!
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