'Mann Ki Baat': PM Modi shares story of human-animal bond in Tinsukia’s Barekuri village

Staff Reporter & Agencies

Guwahati/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday shared heartwarming stories of the connection between humans and animals in Assam's Tinsukia district and in Arunachal Pradesh in his monthly programme 'Mann Ki Baat'. 

PM Modi, in the broadcast, said the villagers in Tinsukia's Barekuri village started cultivating bananas in their fields for the Hoolock Gibbons living in their midst.

In the 113th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi said, "My dear countrymen, you must have seen many films based on the bond of love between human beings and animals. But these days, a real story is coming up in Assam. In a tiny village Barekuri in the Tinsukia district of Assam, people belonging to the Moran community reside.  And in the same village dwell the Hoolock Gibbons... there they are called “Holo Bandar”.  Hoolock Gibbons have made this village their abode.  You will be surprised to know- the people of this village share a deep bond with the Hoolock Gibbons." 

"Villagers adhere to their traditional values in the present times as well.  That’s why they left no stone unturned to strengthen their bonds with the gibbons.  When they realised that Gibbons love bananas a lot, they started growing bananas on their farms.  Besides, they decided that they would perform rituals connected with the birth and death of Gibbons, exactly as they would have performed for their near and dear ones.  They have also named the Gibbons.  Recently, the Gibbons were facing hardships on account of electric wires passing through, in the vicinity.  In this scenario, the villagers put forth the problem to the government and a quick solution was found out too," PM Modi added, saying, "I have been told that now these Gibbons also pose for pictures."

The PM also spoke about a group of youths in Arunachal Pradesh who use 3-D printing technology and bio-degradable material to print animal parts like horns and tusks, eliminating the need for killing animals for body parts.

"Friends, in terms of love towards animals, our young friends from Arunachal Pradesh too are second to none.  Some of our young friends in Arunachal have started using the 3-D printing technology.  Do you know why? Because they want to protect wild animals from being hunted for their horns and tusks... Under the leadership of Nabam Bapu and Likha Nana, the team undertakes 3-D printing of various parts of animals.  Be it horns or teeth, all of those are crafted through 3-D printing.  They are then made into items such as apparel and headgear.  This is an amazing alternative which makes use of Bio-degradable material," PM Modi said in his radio address.

Heaping praise on such efforts, he added, "No amount of praise for such fabulous efforts is enough.  I would like to say that more and more start-ups should come forward in this field so that our animals stay protected and traditions continue."

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to social media platform X and shared the quotes from PM Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' programme.

He wrote, "PM @narendramodi shares a heartwarming story of human-animal bonding from Tinsukia, Assam in #MannKiBaat."

 Also Read: Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi urges people to visit Charaideo Maidam, speaks on host of issues (sentinelassam.com)

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