Credit war breaks out on Cheetahs, Cong says Modi not stating facts

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) A day after Cheetahs were released in the Kuno National Park by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Sunday claimed that it was their government which initiated the process, and accused the PM of stating the facts.

The Congress on Sunday said that the process of induction was started by the UPA government and former Union Minister for environment Jairam Ramesh released a letter to prove his point.

"This was the letter that launched Project Cheetah in 2009. Our PM is a pathological liar. I couldn't lay my hands on this letter yesterday because of my preoccupation with the #BharatJodoYatra".

The letter written to M.K. Ranjit Sinh on October 6, 2009 says, "Please go ahead and prepare a detailed roadmap for the reintroduction of the Cheetah which should include a detailed analysis of different potential sites."

"The analysis should be carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India in collaboration with other organizations like BNHS and WTI. You may also like to take State Forest Departments as part of this study. I expect that the roadmap would be submitted to the MOE&F by the end of January 2010."

On Saturday, the Congress said that the 'tamasha' orchestrated by the PM was unwarranted and was yet another diversion from the pressing national issues, said Congress general secretary and in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh in a tweet.

"PM hardly ever acknowledges continuity in governance. Cheetah project going back to my visit to Capetown on 25.04.2010 is the latest example. The tamasha orchestrated by PM today is unwarranted and is yet another diversion from pressing national issues and Bharat Jodo Yatra," tweeted Jairam Ramesh.

He said further that when tigers were first translocated to Panna and Sariska during 2009-11, there were many prophets of doom, Ramesh said, adding that they were proved wrong.

"When tigers were first translocated to Panna and Sariska during 2009-11, there were many prophets of doom. They were proved wrong. Similar predictions are being made on the Cheetah project. The professionals involved are first-rate and I wish the project the very best!," he said in another tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released cheetahs flown in from Namibia into special enclosure in Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh, as part of the programme to reintroduce the feline in India seven decades after it was declared extinct in the country.

Eight cheetahs were brought to Gwalior from Namibia in a special plane on Saturday morning as part of the cheetah reintroduction programme.