Chennai, Sept 11 (BPNS)

Music legend, Sir Paul McCartney, who was part of the global music band,  The Beatles has sent a letter to the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav requesting him to take urgent action to send abused elephant, Jeymalyatha (also known as Joymala) to a suitable rescue centre.

The letter from the global music legend stands is support of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals(PETA) India plea. It comes after two videos of the elephant screaming in pain while being beaten by separate mahouts went viral.

In the letter, Paul McCartney a vegetarian, said, “I have considered India a spiritual place ever since I travelled there in 1960s. I was impressed by India’s cultural love for animals. I know India reveres elephants, its national heritage animal, but cruelty to animals happens everywhere, even in India.”

He said further, “ What reflects on a country’s values is how the cruelty is addressed . That’s why I am confident that action will be taken to send sorely abused elephant Jeymalyatha( Joymala) to a suitable rescue centre where she can receive the specialised care she needs for her psychological wounds, and can live unchained and in the company of others of her kind.”

It is to be noted that PETA India had recently submitted a veterinary inspection report on Jeymalyatha’s condition conducted on 27 July to forest department officials in Tamil Nadu and Assam.

The report points out that Jeymalyatha’s current mahout uses pliers on her skin even in front of inspectors. PETA in its report states that mahout forbade the inspectors from taking still photographs and video footage but they still documented the condition of the elephant.

The inspection, it may be noted was conducted after two separate viral videos emerged, one in June 2022 and the other in February 2021 of Jeymalyatha being beaten by different mahouts that she can be heard screaming.