“Mohan Babu” poll mascot : EC

Why in News ? The Election Commission (EC) has adopted “Mohan Babu” as its poll mascot to get people of Cooch Behar in north Bengal out to the polling booths .
About Mohan Babu:
• It is an endangered black softshell turtles that are revered by the local people as an incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu. The turtles are so vulnerable — the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as “critically endangered .

How the term Mohan Babu came?
• In the village of Baneswar in north Bengal, about 10 km from the city of Cooch Behar, lies a Shiva temple that Koch dynasty king Pran Narayan is said to have built during his reign in the 17th Century.
• Devotees believe the temple came up on the ruins of a temple built by Asura king Banasura. But, Shiva is not the sole resident deity in the temple.
• The temple pond is also home to “Mohan”.

About IUCN:
•The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was established in 1948.
•IUCN serves as a global voice for conservation, advocating for the protection of nature and sustainable use of natural resources.
•It engages with policymakers, governments, and other stakeholders to promote policies and practices that support biodiversity conservation.
•Its headquarters is located in Gland, Switzerland.