‘Supporting T1 is Urban Extremism’-TIMES OF INDIA 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/supporting-t1-is-urban-extremism/articleshow/66596377.cms

(Here is extracts of interview of farm Activist Kishore Tiwari published on 13th November 2018)  

tnn | Nov 13, 2018, 05.34 AM IST

You are uniting affected tribals in support of T1’s killing but many people are protesting it. Are they wrong?

I respect their sentiments for wildlife conservation. But they should not support a man-eater. This is urban extremism. None of these so called conservationists have bothered to meet the families of the victims. They have not met the tribals who lived in fear of T1. These people should stay for a few days in the affected villages. I feel like tying these conservationists to trees in the forest for three nights and see whether wild animals attack them or not.

It is not conservationists but politicians, including a BJP minister, who are demanding action against the forest minister...

Congress spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam is slamming the government but his own partyman Vasant Purke was lobbying with the government for killing T1. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is demanding against Sudhir Mungantiwar but his party MP Bhavna Gawli wanted T1 killed. Let me tell you, Congress and Shiv Sena are going to lose votes of tribals and farmers for supporting T1. The local leaders of these parties have told me this thing.

NCP leader Jayant Patil said that the tigress was killed to help Reliance. The company’s land is 150km away from the affected area. And land was granted to Reliance by Congress chief minister Ashok Chavan. There is no report which states that there are mineral reserves in the area, so helping mining barons is out of question. Saying that government took Rs25 crore from industrialists to kill T1 is insane.

As for Union minister Maneka Gandhi, she is a nuisance. I demand that she should resign if a single child dies of malnutrition.

Conservationists are saying that no efforts were made to tranquillize the animal.

Forest officials tried to do it five times but failed. The fact is that our veterinarians are incompetent. However, if the investigation team finds serious lapses, then action should be taken against the shooter and the officials concerned.

Are you against wildlife?

No, I have made personal efforts to get a piece of wire removed from a tigress’ neck in Tipeshwar. I check whether forest staffers have filled up the water tanks in forest areas in summer. But it is a fact that wild animals cause great loss to farmers and they do not get proper compensation.

A human is being attacked by wild animals almost every day in Vidarbha. The solution to this problem can’t be found without taking farmers into confidence. 

What are your demands?

A family member of men killed by T1 should be given a job in forest department as the families have lost their bread winner. Pay compensation to the farmers who were unable to sow crops due to T1. The compensation policy should be amended to increase the amount significantly for deaths as well as crop damage.