New Delhi, June 9:

Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Thursday accused Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar of encouraging a regime of "killing animals" across the country.

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"Environment ministry is writing to every state, asking which animal should be killed and that they will give permission for it," said Gandhi, a well-known animal rights activist.

"In Bengal, they (environment ministry) have permitted the killing of elephants, in Himachal Pradesh they have ordered killing of monkeys, and in Goa they gave permission to kill peacocks," she stated.

She said that she could not understand the environment ministry's "lust for killing animals".

"In Chandrapur, they have killed 53 wild boars and have given permission to kill 50 more. Even their own wildlife department said that they don't want to kill the animals. I don't understand their lust for killing animals," Gandhi told reporters.

She also held the environment minister responsible for killing animals.

Asked about Prakash Javadekar's role in it, she said: "Now you tell me what could be the role? He only has to give permission. This is the first time environment ministry is giving permission to killing animals." (IANS)