Ramachandra Guha slams Project Cheetah as disaster; says scientific expertise ignored

BENGALURU: Renowned historian Ramachandra Guha has criticised the reintroduction of cheetahs in India under Project Cheetah, particularly the initiative underway in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. It is a disaster. It is a financial scandal and a highly risky project. It was the 70th birthday gift of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to himself. Experts had advised that the money instead be utilised for strengthening and relocating the Asiatic Lion, but that was not done, he said. He added that the Delhi government is unable to control the air pollution, and the Karnataka government is keen on the tunnel road project. While leading energy and transport experts from ace institutions in Bengaluru have not been consulted. Guha said that he was of the view that caste and political issues had led to a loss of faith in India among its neighbours and countries across the world. He was speaking on the first day of the two-day-long Nature inFocus Festival and Awards 2025, The Wild in not apart, but a part- Blurring Boundaries. The country has many ecological and economic scientific experts in the various educational universities who can take India to a better path, but they are not consulted, he noted. Guha said Madhav Gadgil prepared a report on Western Ghats, but it was trashed by Left in Kerala, DMK in TN, Congress in Karnataka and BJP in Mrashtra and Goa. Its not just the politicians; it is also the IAS officers who have contempt for specialists because they cleared and topped exams around 20 years back. Former-PM Indira Gandhi had two scientific experts in her cabinet, but now they are looked down upon. Not just Western Ghats but the Eastern Ghats and Himalayas are headed for disaster. Earlier, silent protest marches were held on Bengaluru City roads. Now everyone is sent to Freedom Park. The government should rename the place to Freedom Locked Away Path instead, he added.