MP: Congress MLA in Trouble for Wearing Snake as Garland on birthday

Bhopal: A Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh had found a unique way to ‘invoke blessings of Lord Shiva’ on his birthday, by wrapping a snake around his neck.

Much to the amazement of his supporters, the lawmaker from Sheopur, Babu Jandel, had chosen to adorn a snake around his neck, instead of accepting garlands offered by them to wish him on his birthday on Friday.

A video showing the MLA sitting among his supporters with a black snake coiling around his neck went viral on Saturday, triggering outrage among the wildlife conservationists and animal activists here.

“I have lodged a complaint with the chief wildlife warden of Madhya Pradesh for action against him under the wildlife protection act, 1972”, wildlife activist Ajey Dubey said.

In the video clip, the lawmaker was seen sitting quietly, as if in meditation, with the snake slithering around his neck, playfully. The four ft-long reptile was sometimes seen raising its hood when people tried to touch it.

In another video clip, the MLA was seen spurning the garlands offered by his supporters to wish him on his birthday.

Later, the MLA told the media that he wanted to make his birthday celebration a simple affair.

“I am a devotee of Lord Shiva. A snake represents Lord Shiva. Hence, I chose to wrap the snake around my neck, instead of the garlands offered by my supporters, on the occasion to invoke blessings of the deity”, he told the media.

Mr Jandel was however unaware that his ‘quixotic’ action would land him in trouble.

The snake is included in the scheduled species under the wildlife protection act, 1972 and hence, capture of a snake for personal purpose attracts provisions under the act, Mr Dubey said.

The matter was under examination for action, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) (wildlife) Aseem Srivastav told this newspaper.

Animal rights activist Priyansu Jain said that she has lodged a complaint with the divisional forest officer (DFO) concerned to take action in the matter.

The MLA has recently shot into the news for offering to ride a donkey to a cremation ground in his constituency to perform some rituals for rain.