Azam Khan's Buffaloes versus Ranthambore tigress Machli

That the disappearance of seven prized buffaloes of UP's ruling party leader Azam Khan garnered more publicity than the 22-day absence of India's most-photographed wild tiger T-16 - better known as Machli for a fish-shaped marking - shows the skewed priorities of our times. Considering that the region where the VIBs, or Very Important Buffaloes, went AWOL has more bovines than the entire tiger population of the country, the dust-up caused by their relatively short period of evanescence was clearly unnecessary. Police officials hoofing it to the "spot" and the subsequent beefing up of surveillance and security measures appear to be merely aimed at buffing up the image of the state administration ahead of an election in which voters are expected to register their opposition to being treated like cattle.

That some 200 Rajasthan forest officials also earned their stripes for locating Machli should have been given at least similar importance. Of course, the question is moo-t whether it is more difficult to find seven specific buffaloes in cattle country or a single reticent tiger in the bush. However, Azam Khan's allusion to Queen Victoria - that his buffaloes were more famous than the first Kaisar-i-Hind - is totally unwarranted. If anyone deserves a royal reference, it is surely the Malika Sher-awat of Ranthambore National Park.