Pune: The Akhil Bhartiya Bailgadi Sangathan on Tuesday staged a protest outside the Pune collectorate calling for a ban on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (
PETA) India and to allow organization of
bullock cart
races again.
In a statement, PETA representatives said that, through its 2014 judgment, the Supreme Court (SC) had made clear that spectacles that harm bulls, such as bullock
cart races, violate the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, as well as constitutional provisions. The SC had also ruled that bulls are not anatomically suited to racing and that practices that cause animals excruciating fear, pain, and suffering are inherently cruel.
District collector Saurabh Rao said that he heard the members of the outfit and has communicated their demands to suitable authorities in the state government. “One of their demands is finalization of guidelines that will allow such competitions. They also demanded that if the competitions cannot be allowed as of now, at least the bullock owners could be given permission to have the animals practice the sport. We have communicated these demands to the state government,” he said.
