After releasing eight cheetah that arrived in Gwalior from Namibia’s capital Windhoek on his birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for patience from the public before visiting the animals. Extinct for 70 years, the eight guests were released into quarantine enclosures in Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh. Maintaining the same message from his address to the nation, he interacted with the cheetah mitras (friends) in the national park and told them not to allow anyone inside the KNP, including himself, until the cheetahs are acclimatised to their new habitat, ensuring their safety first.

“The biggest problem will be the politicians, like me. You also have been told that for a few days, don’t let anyone be here...let them settle down, then they’ll be shifted to a bigger place, but these politician will throng,” he said. “There will be breaking news, TV people will also come, you know right? They will put pressure on you but don’t let anyone enter here,” he told the staff jokingly. “Not even me, not even any of my relatives that come with my name.”