PETA India moves Gauhati High Court seeking a ban on buffalo, bulbul fights revived in Assam

Guwahati: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India on Wednesday said they filed a petition in Gauhati High Court seeking a prohibition of buffalo fight and bulbul bird fight, which was organised in Assam recently, after nine years. 

The petition said that several central laws were violated while performing the traditional practice. "As evidence, PETA India submitted investigations into these fights which reveal that terrified and severely injured buffaloes were forced to fight through beatings and that starved and intoxicated bulbuls were made to fight over food," PETA India said  in a statement. 

The bulbul bird fight and buffalo fight were performed during the Bhogali Bihu celebrations on January 15 and 16. The two were stopped in Assam in 2015 after the Supreme Court prohibited Jallikattu of Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court in 2023, however, upheld laws for Jallikattu and buffalo races in Karnataka.

After the 2023 ruling, the BJP-led Assam government issued some new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for allowing the buffalo and bulbul bird fight. On January 15, bulbul bird fight was organised at Hajo in Kamrup district while the buffalo fight was organised at Ahotguri in Nagaon district on January 16, as part of Bhogali Bihu celebrations, after nine years. 

"An investigation into a buffalo fight held in Ahatguri in the Morigaon district on 16 January revealed that to instigate buffaloes to fight, their owners slapped them, pushed and shoved them, jabbed and struck them with wooden sticks, and pulled them by their nose-ropes to force them to approach other buffaloes. When fights were underway, some owners and handlers jabbed the buffaloes with wooden sticks and whacked them with bare hands to upset them further. The buffaloes locked horns and fought, sustaining bloody wounds to their necks, ears, faces, and foreheads – many had injuries all over their body. The fights lasted until one of the two buffaloes broke away and fled," PETA India said.

The PETA India further said an investigation conducted into a bulbul bird fight held at Hajo on January 15 revealed that red-vented bulbuls – who are protected under Schedule II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 – were illegally captured and incited, against their natural instincts, to fight over food.

"It is reported that the birds were captured several days before the fight. Capturing protected wild birds is considered a form of hunting and is illegal. The birds are reportedly commonly drugged with marijuana and fed other intoxicating herbs, bananas, black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon to agitate them, then they are starved for at least one night before the fight." 

"Buffaloes and bulbuls are gentle animals who feel pain and terror and don’t want to be forced into bloody fights in front of jeering crowds,” says PETA India Advocacy Associate Tushar Kol.

The High Court will hear the petition again on Thursday (February 1), PETA India said.