Hema Malini has demanded a "safari" be created for monkeys in the city (File)
BJP MP Hema Malini on Thursday raised in parliament the problems people of her constituency Mathura face because of stray monkeys, saying tourists feed them "Frooti (Mango drink)" and fried food like "Samosa and Kachori", which not only adversely affects the health of the simians but also of local people. She has demanded a "safari" be created for monkeys in the city.
"I have demanded a Monkey Safari (in Mathura) for the safety of monkeys. Also, there should be fruit-bearing trees in forests. Monkeys have picked up food habits of humans, which is not healthy for them. They don't want fruits now, but samosa and Frooti," Ms Malini was quoted by news agency ANI as saying outside parliament.
In parliament, Hema Malini said the natural habitat of monkeys has shrunk and people in Vrindavan (in Mathura) are forced to deal with them sternly when they enter residential areas in search of food.
She said attempts to sterilise monkeys had turned them "very violent". "They have made life-threatening attacks. People have been killed in Vrindavan," she claimed.
She said the creation of "monkey safari" will solve the problem. "Please do not treat the matter lightly. It is a very, very important matter," news agency ANI was quoted her as saying.
Other members of parliament extended their support to the BJP MP. Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said his spectacles were snatched by monkeys during a visit to the temple town
"I had only taken a step or two and there was a feeling that I was being touched. Suddenly, I found there were no spectacles on my eyes. It was unbelievable," he said, adding Frooti packs were offered to the monkey to recover his spectacles.
Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan pointed out monkeys are causing problems for people in Delhi as well. "Their habitat is being destroyed so they are coming to our houses," he said.