No bullock-cart race again, Rural Olympics start today

Ludhiana: The Kila Raipur games committee, Patti Sohaviya, is all set to start another edition of the Rural Olympics from Monday. This time, too, no animal sports event will be organised.
Spectators are upset over no approval to the bullock-cart race, which has not been held from the past several years. Colonel Surinder Singh Grewal, president of the panel, said, “Patti Sohaviya core committee is taking every possible step to attract crowd through different sports events. We are working to lift the standard of the event by bringing in traditional games. But due to permission problem, we will not organise animal events. The government officials said the President is yet to sign the amendment bill to authorise us to hold bullock-cart race and that it will take a few more days. There will be no change in rest of the events, including kabaddi, athletics, hockey and cycling, for which all arrangements have been made.”
He said, “Last year, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha had passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2019. The Act, once notified, would exempt the conduct of bullock-cart race in Kila Raipur Rural Olympics from the provision of the Central Act, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.”
During the two-day event, the games that will be held include hockey, kabaddi, tug of war, athletics, cycling and gymnastics. “Motorcycle show, acrobatics by nomadic tribes, paragliding, trolley loading and unloading, bhangra and giddha will be the other attractions,” he added.
Gurwinder Singh, secretary of the society, said the athletics winner would be awarded Rs 5,000, runners-up Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000. There were cash awards for other games as well.
Jagbir Singh Grewal, a member of the former committee, said, “Newly-formed committee members should organise as many traditional games as possible because spectators want to see unique sports events that are not held elsewhere. We are also appealing to the present committee’s members to work in tandem with the old panel and get their help in upgrading the standard of the sports festival.”
The Constitution says provisions of the Central law will prevail under the Doctrine of Repugnancy if there is an ‘inconsistency’ or ‘contradiction’ between a Central law and a state law. However, if the state law obtains the President’s assent under Article 254(2) of the Constitution, it will prevail over the Central law.