Cockfight: 17 Telugu Desam men held
Enraged party workers protest arrests
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-12-31 07:42 GMT
Rajahmundry: The police had arrested 17 TD supporters for conducting cockfights at Vempadu village of Dwaraka Tirumala mandal on Saturday night. And when president of the Ramannagudem society, Mr Sunkavalli Brahmaiah, approached the cops to organise bail, he too was booked under Section 420 of IPC and arrested on Monday night.
Enraged TD supporters thus converged on the ZP meeting hall on Tuesday and raised slogans against the police. The MPs and MLAs also joined them. The leaders spoke on the importance of allowing cockfights during the festive season. Later, they met Collector Mr K. Bhaskar and apprised him on the developments and sought details about the arrest of Mr Sunkavalli Brahmaiah.
Eluru MP Maganti Venkateswara Rao said, “Sankranti is a major Hindu festival and people settled abroad and elsewhere visit their homes to enjoy with their family members. There is nothing wrong in conducting cock-fights as it has been a long-standing tradition. Just because some people are involving in betting and other anti-social activities, we can't totally ban such a tradition. We respect the High Court's direction on the issue.”
Rajahmundry MP Mr Maganti Murali Mohan said, “Conduct of cock-fights is our custom and tradition during Sankranti. We are not showing any cruelty to roosters, which die in the fights. Several lakhs of goats, chicken and other animals will be killed for meat during the festival for human consumption. It is the law of nature. We want this tradition to be made as a state festival.”