MLA urged by PETA to return Crab for “rehabilitation” in wild

Pune (Maharashtra): Aghast at Maharashtra NCP MLA Rohit Pawar’s “dangling a tied crab” during a press conference, +People for Ethical Treatment of Animals+ (PETA) have complained through letters to the Pune District Election Officer Minal Keskar and Nationalist Congress Party — NCP (SP) President/Member of Rajya Sabha Sharad Pawar.

PETA India has also written to the MLA Rohit Pawar, requesting him to hand over the crab to it for veterinary care and rehabilitation back into the wild.

PETA pointed out that this abuse of an animal violates the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, The Maharashtra Model Code of Conduct; An order issued by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer dated March 24, 2014 prohibiting the use of animals for election campaigning, the Election Commission of India (ECI) Manual of Model Code of Conduct and a letter issued by ECI on September 19, 2012.

In letters to Sharadchandra Govind Pawar and Minal Kalaskar, PETA India Advocacy Associate Shaurya Agrawal wrote “Its evident from the video that Pawar’s use of the Crab was pre-planned. For a media stunt, unnecessary pain and suffering was caused to the creature.”

“Research shows that crabs are intelligent individuals who can experience pain and suffering. They explore their surroundings, have good memories, and communicate with each other,” he said.

Following work done by PETA India, ECI prohibited the use of animals for political campaigns. PETA India had advised ECI that during election campaigns and political rallies, animals are often beaten, whipped, kicked and terrorised while being paraded through the streets and shoved into crowds of shouting, jostling bystanders. They are also often forced to carry loads beyond their capacity and denied adequate food and water, and they can be seriously injured in the mayhem, according to a PETA release..

ECI first acted in response to PETA India’s appeal in 2012 by issuing an advisory instructing all political parties to refrain from using animals in political campaigns. In a 2013 notification, the State Election Commission of Maharashtra prohibited the use of donkeys, bulls, elephants and cows during election campaigns and also instructed authorities to take strict action against anyone who violates animal protection laws.

Peta India – whose motto reads, “Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way” – opposes ‘speciesism’, a human-supremacist worldview.