JOIN USThe High Court on Monday allowed the conduct of Kambala (traditional buffalo racing on slush tracks) in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, but with certain conditions.
Quashing the Deputy Commissioners’ orders banning Kambala in the two districts, Justice S Abdul Nazeer passed an interim order allowing the race with some riders.
Following a letter by the Animal Welfare Board of India stating that the Supreme Court had banned Jallikattu, a bullfight in Tamil Nadu, the deputy commmissioners of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts banned Kambala.
The Kambala committees challenged the deputy commissioners’ order stating that Jallikattu was banned following views from experts, but Kambala was banned in a day.
The bench, in the interim order, stated that the order banning Kambala was passed ‘without application of mind’. However, in the case of Jallikattu, the ban was imposed after taking the experts’ view into consideration.
Kambala cannot be compared to Jallikattu.
The bench laid down certain conditions to hold the race – buffaloes cannot be subjected to any kind of cruelty; no mutilation of ears or other body parts of the animal; the animals should not be tortured, tormented, stabbed or beaten; no irritant solution to be used on the animal; the animals must be provided with food, water and shelter. The bench also directed the district police to immediately prosecute those violating the rules.
The court directed that a police sub-inspector and the local tahsildar should be present at the Kambala race. The tahsildar will videotape the event and the expense will be borne by the organisers. The bench will hear the matter after eight weeks.
Raghaveshwara case
The High Court on Monday asked the counsel representing Raghaveshwara Bharathi, the seer of Ramachandrapura Mutt who has been accused of rape, whether he would like to continue the argument even as the prosecution is on the verge of filing a charge sheet against the pontiff.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice R B Budihal questioned senior counsel B V Acharya appearing for the seer if he would like to argue even at this juncture.
Acharya said that the DNA test report on the seer cannot be accepted as evidence as the staff members, including the director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, were not qualified for the job.
The senior counsel said there had been many rape incidents on children in the recent past and the police, instead of investigating into those cases, were wasting their time on the seer’s case.
Acharya said he did not have even five per cent hope that he would get justice in this case. He sought permission to continue his argument and the bench adjourned the next hearing to January 6.
‘Victory for justice’
With the Karnataka High Court lifting the ban on the Kambala sport (buffalo race), the Kambala Committee of the Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod districts will convene a meeting at Moodbidri on Tuesday to discuss the schedule of the next Kambala, reports DHNS from Mangaluru.
Committee president Bhaskar Kotian termed the High Court order a victory for justice.
Following the ban imposed by the Udupi and Dakshina Kannada district administration on the direction of the Animal Welfare Board in mid-November, traditional Kambala events at Shirva, Surathkal, Bangadi and Baradi were cancelled.
The committee prepares a schedule to avoid clash in Kambala dates. “Kambala is not only an entertainment sport, but also has a religious significance and is observed as a ritual,” Kotian said.