'Special Story': BJP MP Varun Gandhi Wants Sarus Crane Reunited With Arif

The sarus crane, who was rescued by Arif Khan and nursed for around a year, was taken to a sanctuary by the forest department citing laws.

Sarus Crane with its rescuer Arif Khan

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi on Wednesday urged the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government to release the sarus crane from the sanctuary and to reunite it with Arif Khan, who recused and nursed the bird for around a year before the forest department took it away citing laws. A day after a video of Arif visiting the bird in Kanpur went viral, he also called their story 'special'. 

Taking to his official Twitter account, Varun Gandhi shared the video of the crane fluttering around excitedly in its enclosure while looking at Arif and said that their happiness at seeing each other underscores the innocent and sacred love between the two friends. 

"This beautiful bird is meant to fly freely and not to live in a cage," the Pilibhit MP wrote in Hindi.

He added that the bird should be restored its sky, freedom and friend. 

सारस और आरिफ की कहानी खास है!

एक दूसरे को सामने पा कर इन दोनों दोस्तों की ख़ुशी बता रही है कि इनका प्रेम कितना निश्छल और पवित्र है।

यह खूबसूरत जीव स्वच्छंद आकाश में उड़ने के लिए बना है, पिंजरे में रहने के लिये नहीं।

उसे उसका आसमान, उसकी आजादी और उसका मित्र वापिस लौटा दीजिए। pic.twitter.com/kwUCYn4q2Q — Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) April 12, 2023

It is noteworthy that authorities had intervened after several videos of rare camaraderi between the sarus crane and Arif went viral on social media platforms. 

Arif, a resident of Mandkha village of Amethi district, had reportedly found the injured bird in February 2022 and helped it recover.

Officials, however, took away the bird last month, arguing that it was unlawful for anyone to keep it in his or her possession. They also started legal proceedings against Arif. 

The development had also taken a political turn as opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) had come to Khan's support and had criticised the Yogi government's action.

वन विभाग की टीम उप्र के राजकीय पक्षी सारस को तो स्वतंत्र करने के नाम पर उसकी सेवा करनेवाले से दूर ले गयी, देखना ये है कि राष्ट्रीय पक्षी मोर को दाना खिलानेवालों से स्वतंत्र करने के लिए क्या कार्रवाई की जाती है। pic.twitter.com/S52HgEjWnV

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 21, 2023

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had also met Arif and sarus crane during his visit to Amethi last month.

सपा सरकार ने उप्र के राज्य पक्षी सारस के संरक्षण के लिए सारस प्रोटेक्शन सोसाइटी, सारस मित्र स्कीम, इंटरनेशनल सारस कंज़र्वेशन वर्कशाप व इंटरनेशनल क्रेन फ़ाउंडेशन के साथ करार जैसे उपाय किए थे।

आज भी हम सारस सरंक्षण में सहयोग करनेवालों के साथ खड़े हैं लेकिन भाजपा सरकार नदारद है। pic.twitter.com/zpKYQec1di — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 6, 2023