Don't Need Rahul Gandhi's Certificate, Says BJP On Tigress Avni's Killing

No previous government has worked with the kind of "depth and seriousness" this dispensation has, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said today as he hit back at Congress president Rahul Gandhi's barb over the killing of tigress Avni.

The government does not need a certificate from Rahul Gandhi, Mr Vardhan said.

Earlier today, Mr Gandhi tweeted,"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated. -- Mahatma Gandhi. #Avni."

After the tweet, Mr Vardhan said the kind of seriousness, depth and honesty that the central government works with, "I think no other prior government has done it like this."

He said a report has been sought by his ministry over the killing of Avni. 

Tigress Avni is believed to be responsible for the deaths of 13 people in the past two years. She was killed on Friday as part of an operation in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district.

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi also lashed out at the BJP-led Maharashtra government on Sunday over the "ghastly murder", calling it a "straight case of crime".

"It is nothing but a straight case of crime. Despite several requests from many stakeholders, (Sudhir) Mungantiwar, Minister for Forests, Maharashtra, gave orders for the killing," she said in a series of tweets.

Mr Mungantiwar today said Maneka Gandhi "lacks information" on the issue and can order a high-level probe if she so desires.