AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has issued a stern warning to party men against participating in the cockfights held during Sankranti. The CM warned that those involved in the gambling sport and bring disrepute to the party wouldn’t be given a party ticket in the coming general elections.
In a review meeting held on Saturday, the CM advised the MPs and MLAs to stay away from such gambling sports which are against the law, reported The New Indian Express.
Cockfights are a traditional ritual in the Godavari and Krishna districts which takes place for three-days. Although there is a ban on the ‘sport’, which is cruelty against animals. Many a times, political leaders including those in power have violated the Court’s order and partook in such events.
Last year, TDP MP from Eluru, Maganti Venkateswara Rao and Anantapur MP JC Diwakar Reddy were caught celebrating the festival with roosters.
The sport continues to take place uninterrupted despite a ban against it. Cockfights were banned in 2014 by the Hyderabad High Court, later when the order was challenged, the HC refused to stay a ban and said that the ban will continue throughout the year, not just during Sankranti in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Meanwhile, in the meeting, the CM also aksed the MPs and MLAs to gear up for the fifth edition of Janmabhoomi programmes which will commence from January 2. He also instructed the party men to resolve the 40,000 complaints received during the Intintiki TDP- a TDP membership drive, before the ‘Janmabhoomi Maa Vooru’ programme kicks off. The programme will be held for 10 days. Several welfare programmes and felicitation events are being planned for these 10 days.
TNIE quoted him as saying, “The programme should be like celebrating a festival by including everyone and it should be a platform for the people to redress the grievances also.”