The gun silenced her. The deadly bloodthirsty weapon that is responsible for death of millions of wild animals. The weapon yielding Sahib stood proud after having killed Avni. He was the master of all he surveyed not the tiger! A non government actor did he have the legal powers to kill? If not, is this the way we wish to be governed? None of the gazetted could shoot??? More hunters will be born.

The deed has been done and precious Human lives have been saved. But there emerges a question mark(?) - Our conservation ethos and policies that govern wildlife in India. Another fact emerges that our administrators are helpless whence mass agitation takes place for an event that requires deeper initiative and careful handling. Exigency could be unjustified.   

A few signatures, paperwork, administrative proceedings and the ground was cleared for the extermination. No court!No Judge!No protests! No recourse to her life! Animal!

It is all populist. It is for votes. No it is for saving precious human lives...there you have it kill the tiger. We will take care of the cubs later or let them perish.   

Did Avni deserve to die? 

Don't know the answer?

Well here is the clue. 

She was allegedly responsible for death of thirteen humans who had intruded into her land now usurped. She was intruding into land slated for Development and was moving in between sensitive human habitats. 

With cubs in tow she was aiming to increase her lot and claim back the land where her ancestors once roamed free. 

It is tigers versus development! Was it a happening land...under development - highways, factories, cities, storehouses, markets, shops, restaurants and what not? The way to go! Usurp all the land in the country. We are the masters. 

She was an impediment to our way of life and of course our fast changing habitat filled with the suffocating warmth of carbon dioxide, rich particles and ever pervasive foul smell that we attribute to pollution, garbage, road shit and dense human settlements.         

In India the die has been cast long time back. It is development unhindered, unplanned and a ruthless march to economic progression. We the rulers of the Earth have defined a way of life no other life form can challenge or act as an impediment. 

Peace, justice, security, prosperity and development are not possible for us amidst marauding carnivores in vicinity. They should be shot. No Hearing! No Appeal! No Redress! After all tigers are animals not humans.

The erstwhile British rulers were ruthless whence it came to exterminating the wild species in India designated as vermin. The hunters took guns they brought, and the Maharajahs, elites, sahibs and their satraps indulged in ruthless orgy all contributing to cleanse the Earth of vermin so that humans could plough and live in eternal peace. They were brutal, irrational, devoid of compassion and had no understanding of nature and the diversity upon which our lives are so dependent. 

We follow a creed that inculcates nature worship and teaches us the value and sanctity of all life forms and the precious elements. We live in the land of Vedas!

But we have acted worse! Why blame the masters! We have killed more animals, we have extensively ravaged forests, grasslands, deserts, mountains, waterways, river systems  and other habitats for our greed and we continue to do so. Ha! We have been comprehensive.  

In contemporary India we are denotifying protected areas, we are denuding forests if not by intent then by pure negligence and greed, we are dissecting forests for highways, granting lease for mining in remaining natural lands, even small pockets of wilderness are being allocated for construction. 

Why because we certainly do not care. In my hometown an institution came up on a patch of forest  with wildlife whence there was plenty of completely denuded land around. This is our state of planning. 

Let us understand one thing the large section of administrators and politicians are unaware regarding nature conservation and many care little for our wildlife. Do not expect much from governance to take care of remaining habitats in India. The inviolate protected areas are a must but the rot does not stem at that since there is plenty of wilderness all around the country and that has to be guarded with zeal and utmost sincerity.  

We do not want the whole country to turn into urbanity comprising of highways, malls, smoke emitting factories and unplanned settlements. All this should constitute a small portion and greater expanse should be that of natural lands untouched by humanity. Stay away from our forests, rivers, deserts, mountains and grasslands, Do not kill our animals not a tiger and not even a deer. 

Incidences like the extermination of AVANI are a cause of consternation. Are we moving in the right direction in order to save the big cat from extinction? Tiger conservation is a comprehensive program and it is a National imperative.  

As a Nation are we capable of saving the tiger? We may not lack the ability and resources but do we have the will and concern? For example can we allocate more inviolate land to the tigers and other life forms for their survival or let them suffocate in fractured land.     

Will we keep losing AVNI time and again! Saving the tiger is a matter of National Pride for all of us and we should overcome.