Elephant Lakshmi of Sri Manakula Vinayagar temple in Puducherry has been prevented from visiting the temple after the Department of Forest and Wildlife, acting in response to a representation made by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi, asked temple authorities not to bring it to the temple until further orders were issued in this regard, The New Indian Express has reported.

The 28-year-old Lakshmi, with the temple for the past 22 years, has not visited the place since 14 December.

According to the Deputy Conservator of Forest G Sathiyamurthy, PETA officials “have expressed concern over the foot rot and mental health of the elephant” in their representation to the union minister, who herself is an animal rights activist.

The organisation - often criticised for lack of respect for faith and local traditions, has been making representations citing the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)’s authorised inspection report on foot rot and mental health for the last three years. In response to these representations, the AWBI has called for the elephant’s rehabilitation to a sanctuary citing health related concerns.

The temple protection committee, Thirukoilgal Paadhukappu, has criticised PETA and local administration for its action asking Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to intervene. According to K Dhakshinamurthy, secretary of the committee, the elephant had all the required facilities at the temple, such as a specially-built shed and a pond.

“If there are any shortcomings, it should be corrected, but the government should not stop the elephant from visiting the temple,” Dhakshinamurthy said.

PETA has been waging war against various cultural and religious practices that involve animals, including Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and Kambala in Karnataka, even as the organisation has been accused of being responsible for the death of around 2,000 domestic animals in its care in 2011. It kills, on an average, 2,000 dogs and cats each year at its animal shelters, according to the New York Times.

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