Hema Malini raises issue of monkey menace in LS

The issue of monkey menace at religious places and in Lutyens Zone in the national capital was raised in Lok Sabha on Thursday by BJP MP Hema Malini.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, the MP from Mathura, said monkey menace at religious places was a matter of concern and the government should do something about it.

"People in Vrindavan and Mathura in my constituency have been hit by the menace with monkeys snatching items from pilgrims," she said.

The actor-turned-politician also said sterilisation attempts have made monkeys "violent".

Blaming the menace on deforestation, she suggested that the government develop a monkey safari there.

Many other members in the House raised similar concerns.

LJP MP Chirag Paswan said the monkey menace is a matter of concern for people staying in Lutyens Zone in the national capital.

"Their terror is such that children cannot play in gardens of their homes located in Lutyens Zone. People are forced to stay in homes. And all this is happening as we destroyed their homes (forests). Now they have entered homes," he said.

TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay recounted that once a monkey snatched his spectacles and returned only after he offered it fruit juice.