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04/02/24 07:23 AM IST

PETA wants to ban two age-old Assamese traditions

In News
  • The Assam government’s attempt to revive traditional practices of buffalo and bulbul (songbird) fighting during Magh Bihu has come up against a legal challenge by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in the Gauhati High Court.
Age - old tradition
  • These fights are part of the folk culture associated with the Assamese winter harvest festival of Magh Bihu, which takes place in January, at the same time as harvest festivals in other parts of the country such as Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Lohri.
  • Buffalo fights are held in different parts of Assam during Magh Bihu, with Ahatguri in Nagaon district being the biggest centre.
  • There, the fights been conducted for many decades by the Ahatguri Anchalik Moh-jooj aru Bhogali Utsav Udjapan Samiti, drawing huge crowds.
  • Bulbul fights, on the other hand, are an attraction at the Hayagriv Madhab Mandir in Hajo, around 30 km from Gauhati.
  • Participants rear birds for around two weeks before Bihu, before they are made to fight until one emerges stronger.
Supreme court ruling
  • The Supreme Court May last year overruled its 2014 judgement, upholding amendments made by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka governments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 to allow jallikattu, kambala and bullock cart racing.
  • The SOPs which were subsequently released specified that the fights will only be permitted in places where they have been “traditionally conducted” for the last 25 years, and that moh juj (buffalo fights) will only be allowed between January 15 and January 25.
  • The moh juj guidelines prohibit human inflicted injuries, and ban the use of intoxicating or performance enhancing drugs, as well as sharp instruments to instigate the animals.
  • The bulbul fight SOPs require the organisers to ensure that the birds are released in the open “in perfect condition” at the end of the game. The SOPs state that any organization violating the stipulations will face a ban for the next five years.
Petition by PETA
  • PETA India has now filed two linked petitions before the Gauhati High Court seeking the prohibition of both activities, as well an interim stay preventing any such fights from taking place during the course of the proceedings.
  • They stated that many buffalos had injuries on their bodies from the fights, and that the fights lasted util one of the two buffalos “broke away and fled”.
  • With regards to the event in Hajo, they stated that the bulbuls “were illegally captured and incited, against their natural instincts to fight over food.
Source- Indian Express

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