Rajahmundry: The Supreme Court’s interim order on Tuesday staying the conduct of Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu has come as a dampener to AP politicians who were trying to get the government to relax the ban on cockfighting ahead of the Sankranti festivities.
With just a couple of days left for the festival, the politicians, who are the main organisers of cockfights through their supporters, are lobbying with the government to either the relax the ban officially, or instruct the police to look the other way during the three days of the festival and focus on gambling and other anti-social activities.If they fail to persuade the government, they intend to go ahead anyway and cite tradition.
Eluru MP Maganti Venkateswara Rao of the Telugu Desam had said recently that they would get an order from the government to allow cockfights with betting, as there is no ban on following tradition.
Some organisers said that a fighting cock without a knife in the ring and cockfights without betting would be tepid affairs.
They pointed out that lakhs of birds, lambs and buffaloes are slaughtered every day for meat, and asked if that did not amount to cruelty to animals.
They said cockfights were a traditional game being played for ages for fun. It is unfair to impose curbs on a fun activity in the name of law, an organiser said.
Former MLA Ch. Ranganatha Raju said, “I believe that just like before ruling party leaders will persuade the government allow cockfighting during the festival days as long as no law and order issue arises.”
He said that with such uncertainly over cockfights every Sankranti season, a section of the people was ignoring tradition and seeking out alternative sources of fun.
Deputy CM N. Chinarajappa said, “Our government will not interfere as long as the people follow the tradition of conducting cockfights. In case anyone flouts the norms, the government will act tough and the police book cases and take the culprits to task.”
Mr P.B.K. Acharyulu, National Board for Wildlife honorary animal welfare officer, “We welcome the AP government’s decision not to allow cockfights with betting. It is better not to allow such fights even in a traditional manner as it involves subjecting the birds to cruelty for fun.”
