Image of a buffalo fight for representation.
Credit: PTI Photo
Guwahati: Assam Assembly on Thursday passed an amendment in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, in order to permit the traditional buffalos fight performed during the annual Bhogali Bihu.
Buffalo fights are organised at Ahotguri in Morigaon district and several other places as part of celebrations of the Bhogali Bihu in January every year. But the fight had to be discontinued after PETA India moved Guwahati High Court, which last year issued a order prohibiting the traditional practice.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier said the amendment was done like Tamil Nadu had done to permit bullock fight at Jallikatu. This, Sarma said, was decided in order to allow the traditional practice that has continued for generations.
PETA India reacts
Reacting to this, PETA India issued a statement saying this would "plunge Assam into Dark Ages."
“The passage of this cruel bill aimed at allowing vulnerable buffaloes to be beaten into charging at, wounding and bloodying each other plunges Assam into the Dark Ages,” the statement said quoting PETA India’s Senior Policy and Legal Advisor, Vikram Chandravanshi. “Buffalo fights will stain Assam and deter tourists, many of whom visit Assam expecting animals to be protected in the national parks and elsewhere in the state.”
The PETA India earlier said buffallos are subjected to physical torture and abuse during the traditional fight, which violates the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960. The state government later enforced a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for organising the buffalo fight but those were also struck down by the High Court.
The decision was taken ahead of Assembly elections slated early next year.