NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday demanded answers from the government on whether the proposed agreement between the Delhi Zoo and animal rescue and rehabilitation centre Vantara is the first step towards "handing over" the zoo to a private enterprise.

Such an agreement done in a "hush hush manner" raises many questions and requires transparency, Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh said.

"The Delhi Zoo is under the direct control of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change. It is planning to sign an agreement with the one and only Vantara and the Gujarat government for getting better management practices," he said in a post on X citing news reports

Vantara is an animal rehab centre established by Reliance Industries Ltd and Reliance Foundation at Jamnagar, Gujarat.

Ramesh said while the government claimed that this was not a management transfer, its past record does not inspire confidence. "Is this the first step towards handing over the zoo to a private enterprise?" he asked.

"Such an agreement entered into in such a hush-hush manner raises many questions that need to be clarified in a transparent manner," he added.

The former minister said zoos, national parks, tiger and other reserves, and sanctuaries are all public services, and asserted that they "must never be privatised in any form".