Celina Jaitley Ties Up With Maxim To Help Elephants!
August 20, 2007 4:05:15 PM IST
Bollywood Trade News Network
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Mumbai - Being beautiful helps, but it's Celina Jaitley's compassion for animals that has landed her on the cover of the August issue of Maxim magazine.
In response to pressure from PETA India, which has also garnered high-profile support from Rahul Khanna and MPs Shatrughan Sinha, Smt. Maneka Gandhi and Smt. Priya Dutt, amongst other celebrities, Mumbai recently banned captive elephants within the city limits.
Why is Celina making a statement against keeping elephants in captivity? In zoos and cities, elephants are separated from their families as babies and are sentenced to a lifetime of boredom, loneliness and even abuse. Working elephants spend the entire day - and much of the night - walking on hot asphalt roads and breathing in exhaust fumes. Forced to battle against city traffic, they are sometimes struck by cars and trucks and pose a threat to the public when they rebel and go on rampages.
An elephant named Laxmi - who was hit by a speeding tanker - suffered a broken leg and spinal injuries before dying a day later. Another elephant was frightened by a fire cracker and fell on a car. The mahout fled the scene, and the elephant rampaged. According to media reports, an entire platoon of SRPF and 60 police personnel were called in to subdue her.
Elephants are social creatures, and in the wild, the females live in close-knit family groups. They spend about 18 hours a day walking, feeding, bathing in water holes and interacting with other elephants. They are intelligent and sensitive animals and are known to mourn the loss of relatives, just as humans do. Captive conditions fail to provide an interesting, stimulating and rewarding environment for elephants.
"After coming to Mumbai and visiting other parts of India, I have seen so many elephants who are kept in such bad conditions in captivity. I think PETA has taken a very good step, and I am proud to be associated with this cause. I have a huge youth fan following, and I know my fans will also support me in this cause", says Celina.
"Celina was perfect for our campaign 'Sexy for a Cause' with PETA because she's a talented, beautiful lady who is genuinely fighting against the kind of treatment that elephants get in this country", says Maxim editor Anup Kutty. "And since we love both animals and beautiful women equally, we just had to get her on the cover to promote the cause."
The August issue of Maxim also features a column by PETA India Chief Functionary Anuradha Sawhney, who advises men that the fastest way to a woman's heart is to be kind to animals.
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