Mangaluru, Nov 29: Dozens of Kambala buffaloes on Saturday took to the streets in Mangaluru extending their physical support to the protest jointly organized by various Kambala Samithis of the region against the ban imposed by Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district administrations on the annual buffalo race.
A large number of Kambala enthusiasts took part in the protest march from Ambedkar Circle to the office of Deputy Commissioner.
The protesters submitted a memorandum to the DC, urging him to revoke the ban and informed him of the changes brought to the sport to eliminate violence against animals.
The organizers are planning to move court or ask the state and Union governments to move court against bringing Kambala under the ban. They are also planning to seek the assistance of animal husbandry department to build a strong case for Kambala. "It's a matter of preserving our culture as also ensuring the livelihood of over 5,000 persons solely depending on Kambala," said Bhaskar Kotian, an organizer.
Kambala expert Gunapala Kadamba said that bull races are conducted in Haveri, and Kambala in Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district even today. On charges that Kambala animals are whipped to quicken their pace, he said: "We brought in reforms a decade ago. Now, the animals are whipped very rarely. But rights activists cite the old clips of buffaloes being whipped to make statements against the event".
DK district administration banned Kambala a week ago after the animal husbandry department wrote to the DC, directing him to implement the May 7 Supreme Court order. Department deputy director Thippe Swamy had said the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), Chennai, had sent an email to the DC.
The deputy director of Animal Welfare Board, Udupi, had issued an order on November 14, 2014 banning Kambala. Endorsing the ban on November 21, the DC declined permission to Ashok Kumar Rai, another petitioner, to conduct Kambala at Surathkal.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday asked the government to specify its stand on the recently ban imposed on Kambala in two coastal districts.
Hearing a petition filed by Kambala committees of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts challenging the ban, justice S Abdul Nazeer issued notice to the deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district and the deputy director of the Animal welfare Board, Udupi. The petition will be heard next on December 2.
The petitioners said authorities have totally misinterpreted the Supreme Court's order on Jallikattu (bull-chasing sport in Tamil Nadu) and mechanically applied the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, while banning Kambala here.
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