Assam Congress President and Lok Sabha member Gaurav Gogoi has sought detailed records from the Assam government over the transfer of five captive elephants from Assam to Tamil Nadu. He has asked for information about their ownership, origin, approvals and welfare safeguards during the transfer.Key HighlightsGogoi has sought records on the ownership and origin of five elephants.He asked whether the elephants were donated, purchased or acquired in another way.Questions have also been raised about clearances and welfare checks.The Gauhati High Court had earlier declined to stop the transfer at that stage.Why has Gaurav Gogoi sought the elephant records?Gogoi has asked the Assam government to make public documents linked to the transfer of the five elephants."The elephants are Durga, Hiralal, Shiva, Rupsing and Bijuli. Reports said they were moved from Assam to different temple destinations in Tamil Nadu. Durga reached the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai in September, while the other elephants were subsequently moved to Tamil Nadu."Gogoi has asked the government to clarify how the elephants were acquired and who legally owned them.What questions has Gogoi raised about ownership?Gogoi has asked whether the elephants were donated, purchased or acquired through another process.He also sought details of any money exchanged in connection with the transfer, including the amount and the parties involved.He has also asked for records showing the elephants' age, ownership certificates and their documented chain of custody.According to reporting on the issue, ownership documents, microchips and DNA profiling are among the records used in verification of captive elephants.What are the questions about approvals and clearances?Gogoi has also questioned the approvals given for the interstate movement.He asked the Assam government to make the relevant clearances public and clarify whether the High-Powered Committee examined the proposed transfers.The issue has already been considered by the Gauhati High Court. On September 17, the court declined to stop the transfer at that stage, noting that there was no reason to restrain the movement unless it was shown that the required legal clearances had not been obtained. The Assam government had told the court that necessary clearances were available and that care would be taken during transportation.Were welfare safeguards followed during the journey?Gogoi has sought details about veterinary checks and animal welfare measures followed before and during the long journey to Tamil Nadu.Reports have raised questions about the speed of the approval process for at least one of the transfers. In the case of Durga, records cited by The New Indian Express showed that the proposed Madurai facility was inspected on September 4, the same day the transfer recommendation was issued.Gogoi has asked the government to provide documents showing that all required health and welfare safeguards were followed.What did Gogoi say about the elephants?Gogoi said:“Elephants are woven into Assam’s culture and heritage. Their movement out of the state must not be shrouded in unanswered questions.”He has called for the records related to ownership, age, provenance, permits, clearances, approvals and payments to be made public. He has also sought the return of the five elephants to Assam. These are Gogoi's demands and do not by themselves establish any wrongdoing in the transfer.What happens next?The Assam government may face further questions over the documents and approvals connected with the transfers.The Gauhati High Court's earlier order did not stop the movement of the elephants, while also requiring the state government to provide information in the related proceedings.The latest demand has therefore put renewed focus on the ownership records, legal permissions and welfare arrangements connected with the five elephants transferred from Assam to Tamil Nadu.
