'India Is The Only Country Where Tiger Population Is Growing': Union Minister Yadav Slams Al Jazeera

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Monday (10 April) slammed a media report stating that India's tiger conservation strategies were "deeply influenced" by American environmentalism and disrupted the lives of communities living in forests for centuries.

Yadav dismissed the report as the result of "heartburn" for a "hate-driven, propaganda media" and highlighted that India is the only country where the tiger population is growing.

“Some day, if Al Jazeera left propaganda and did journalism, it will be able to appreciate that India’s tiger agenda is inclusive and successful because of the participation of local communities. Our Tiger Reserves generate employment of over 50 L man-days annually for the locals,” he added.

The report was originally published by US news agency Associated Press and carried by Al Jazeera.

The original article titled ‘As tiger count grows, India's Indigenous demand land rights’ was published by Associated Press and shared on Al Jazeera.

India's Project Tiger started in 1973 due to dwindling tiger numbers caused by habitat loss, unregulated hunting, poaching, and retaliatory killing by humans.

According to the AP report, several Indian Adivasi group have been requesting land rights to promote sustainable forest management as an alternative to relocation projects.