Supreme Court order covers Kambala too: Activist

BENGALURU: As supporters of ‘Jallikattu’, the bull-taming sport, took to the streets in Tamil Nadu in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to stay the Union government’s notification to allow the sport, doubts surfaced about “Kambala”, the buffalo race, in coastal districts of Karnataka.

A bench of the apex court, which stayed the notification of the ministry of environment and forest, also issued notices to the ministry and Tamil Nadu on petitions filed by various bodies including the Animal Welfare Board of India. These organisations, which had requested a stay on the notification, have been asked by the court to submit their replies within four weeks. Though the court order has not mentioned Kambala, it does deal with such events, says Sowmya Reddy, one of the petitioners.

She said, “We have filed a contempt petition against the ministry because it has lifted the ban order though it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2014. This amounts to contempt of court.”

Meanwhile, organisers of ‘Kambala’ said the apex court order would have no impact on buffalo races in coastal districts.  “There was no mention of ‘Kambala’ in it,” said Kambala Samithi adviser Gunapal Kadamba.

What is kambala?

Kambala is an annual buffalo race held traditionally in coastal parts of the state. Animal welfare activists say the buffaloes are beaten and tortured while making them run races through slushy fields