MUMBAI: After the transfer of Mahadevi, an elephant belonging to a Jain shrine in Kolhapur, to Vantara, an animal rescue and rehabilitation initiative by the Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, those who were unwilling to let go staged a march on Sunday. Thousands of locals and leaders from the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Kolhapur marched for 45 km from the shrine to the collector’s office, demanding that Mahadevi be brought back, following which CM Devendra Fadnavis said he would hold a meeting on this on Tuesday.
Mahadevi, 36, was transferred from the Swastishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswamy Sanstha to Vantara, following a Bombay high court order on July 16. The court’s decision came after hearing a petition by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which had earlier raised concerns about the elephant’s health and psychological condition with the Maharashtra forest department and the High-Powered Committee (HPC) appointed by the Supreme Court to look after the transfer and welfare of captive elephants.
PETA had pointed out that the elephant had painful arthritis and foot rot and was kept in solitary confinement. The Supreme Court upheld the HC order on July 22.
After initial resistance, Mahadevi was given a tearful farewell at the temple and shifted to Vantara on July 28, but plans by politicians and the people were afoot. Kolhapur residents reportedly began to boycott the Reliance Group’s JIO mobile service and launched a signature campaign signed by 200,400 people to be sent to the President of India. After the outcry, Vantara’s CEO Vivaan Karani met guardian minister Prakash Abitkar on Friday, following which the latter announced that the state government would move the Supreme Court to hand Mahadevi back to the Jain shrine.
The march on Sunday began under the leadership of former MP Raju Shetti, which people joined en route. Other politicians who participated were BJP MLA Rahul Aawade, his father, former minister Prakash Awade, Shirol MLA Rajendra Patil-Yadravkar, Congress leader Satej Patil, Sangli MP Vishal Patil, MLA Vishwajit Kadam and local leaders. A memorandum was submitted to the authorities, urging them to bring the elephant back to the Jain math, where she was kept for over three decades.
Addressing the crowd, Raju Shetti called the “chronology of events leading to the transfer” of Mahadevi to Jamnagar a “conspiracy”. He also alleged that fake health reports were submitted to the court by PETA and other concerned authorities to obtain an order for Mahadevi’s transfer, and called for action against those responsible for submitting the reports. He also demanded that the President cancel the Supreme Court ruling and ensure the elephant’s return to Kolhapur.
Meanwhile, Vantara also issued an official statement on Sunday and said that it had played no role in seeking Mahadev’s transfer. Rueing the “considerable misinformation” that was being spread about this, the trust pointed out that it was named as a recipient by the HPC, based on its track record in elephant welfare. “If the math feels it is entitled to the custody of the elephant despite enough proof and the final decision of the court, it should ask the Supreme Court to give it the elephant,” said the statement. “What is the point of blaming Vantara? The promoter family, which supports Vantara philanthropically… were not party to the proceedings at any stage. Vantara reiterates its commitment to lawful, ethical animal care and has only acted in accordance with judicial and regulatory directives.”
The Vantara statement also pointed out that the elephant had been transported 13 times from Maharashtra to Telangana between 2012 and 2023, often without proper forest department permissions. Reports and photographs documented that the elephant was being used commercially. “She was sent for public processions, including Muharram, used for begging, and publicly paraded,” added the official statement. Using elephants for begging is unlawful and there are many conditions that have to be met before they can be paraded.
Congress politician Satej Patil said that although Vantara had agreed to cooperate in transferring the elephant back to the Jain shrine, the state government should also intervene in the matter. Fadnavis, on his part, pointed out that the elephant was transferred to Vantara on a Supreme Court order and announced that he would hold a meeting on the issue on Tuesday. “I will look into the legal aspects related to bringing Mahadevi back,” he said.