Maneka Gandhi demands MLA’s expulsion over horse attack

Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday demanded that her party MLA from Uttarakhand Ganesh Joshi should be expelled for allegedly attacking a police horse during a protest by the BJP earlier this week. The animal underwent a surgical procedure on one of its hind legs, which was badly wounded. Also, Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat refused to withdraw the case against the BJP MLA from Mussoorie for allegedly attacking the horse, saying the state government will not interfere in police work. “I have given a statement asking for his expulsion from the BJP,” said the Union minister, who is also the chairperson of an animal welfare organisation, People For Animals.

Another animal welfare group, PeTA, has written to BJP president Amit Shah and Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal urging them to investigate the matter and disqualify Mr Joshi. “PeTA has urged the Uttarakhand police to expedite their investigation and to ensure everyone who was involved in hitting, harassing or causing Shaktiman (horse) to fall is punished to the fullest extent of the law... We have also written to BJP president Amit Shah and the Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha Speaker urging them to investigate the matter, and to disqualify MLA Ganesh Joshi,” said a PeTA member.

The Mussoorie MLA has been booked for beating the police horse with a stick during the party’s protest on March 14. The legislator, however, insisted that he had not inflicted injury on the horse, and that it had gone out of control during the protests and one of its hind legs got stuck in a hole dug up to put up the barricades, injuring it. After BJP members demanded to withdraw the case lodged against Mr Joshi, the chief minister said the police lost a well-trained horse and the state government should not interfere in the police’s work.