Will represent our side in court: Ex-MP Maheshwar Singh

The petition filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India and activist Gauri Maulekhi highlighted incidents of animal sacrifice at the Bhunda Mahayagya held from January 2 to 5, emphasising the violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960

After the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Himachal Pradesh government on a petition alleging regular animal sacrifice in the state, particularly during the Bhunda Mahayagya in Rohru in January, the erstwhile ruler of Kullu Maheshwar Singh said that he will present his side before the court after examining the application.

Former MP Maheshwar Singh (File)

The petition filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India and activist Gauri Maulekhi highlighted incidents of animal sacrifice at the Bhunda Mahayagya held from January 2 to 5, emphasising the violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

“Animal sacrifice has been part of tradition and there cannot be two rules in one country. This is matter of faith and traditions. I am examining the application and file counter reply,” said Maheshwar Singh, chief caretaker of Lord Raghunath, principal deity of region.

Talking to HT, Maheswar Singh said, “When people from other communities have the right to sacrifice animals, seeking a ban on old-age religious traditions of Hindus is not correct.”

As a tradition, the Kullu Dusshera organisers sacrifice a buffalo, a male lamb, a fish, a crab and a chicken as part of an important ritual on the concluding day of Dussehra as it is believed that the animal sacrifice is important during the festivals as it brings round-the-year prosperity.

He said, “I am against exhibiting the slaughtered animals. These (animal sacrifice) are part of our age-old traditions which are being attacked.”

“Animal sacrifices are done only on the directions of deity,” he said adding, “All sacrifices in religious ceremonies are done as per the SC directives.”

Supreme Court bench of justice JK Maheshwari and justice Aravind Kumar, in its February 19 hearing of the case, granted four weeks to the state to file the counter affidavit to the allegations of animal sacrifice taking place regularly and the authorities “not taking any steps deliberately and intentionally”.

Bhunda Mahayagya was organised after 39 years in the state. Nearly 5 lakh people participated in the event. The Mahayagya in which goats and sheep were sacrificed is part of the tradition of rulers of the erstwhile Bushehar princely state. It has been conducted for centuries in Nirmand, Rampur Bushehar and Rohru. As the erstwhile ruler, former chief minister the late Virbhadra Singh had patronised the Mahayagya, which local residents believe is beneficial for the apple crop, the backbone of the state’s economy.

The petitioner said that videos depicting the barbaric animal sacrifice surfaced on social media, showing a significant gathering actively participating in the crime.

Animal activists seek blanket ban

“When Uttarakhand can do it why can’t Himachal. These practices stem from superstition and fear. All is needed is “prachar and prasar” said petitioner Gauri Maulekhi, when contacted.

She said, “Animal slaughter should be done only in the slaughter houses and not public places. State needs to issue strict orders to all district magistrates to ensure compliance of the law. The district administration should make an inventory of all the temples and proactively put hoardings declaring that no animal sacrifice is done.”

“Political will is needed but the bureaucracy is bound by the Supreme Court order,” said Gauri who is trustee of People for Animals, India’s largest animal welfare organisation founded by Maneka Gandhi.

“Preventive ways like creating awareness is always effective to check such practices than reactive ways like registering FIRs,” Gauri further said.

Adv Vandana Mishra, who was instrumental in getting order of Himachal HC in 2014 regarding banning animal sacrifice, said “There were no animal sacrifice from 2014 till 2017 after high court’s order regarding the ban. But it all stated again after apex court’s 2017 decision regarding the allowance of restricted animal sacrifices in Kullu.”

“The relaxation was only meant for Kullu but due to misinformation, now sacrifices are being done in different parts of state with impunity and even in public places. You can see people glorifying animal sacrifices despite the ban,” she said.

“When high court had imposed ban then temples had put up hoardings and even the priest discouraged the animal sacrifice. People had distanced themselves from this but then everything changed after 2017,” she added.

“Fear of law and awareness is key to check this regressive approach of pleasing the deities,” added Gauri who seeks blanket ban on animal sacrifice in public places.

President of animal rights NGO, Dharamshala, Dheeraj Mahajan, said, “There is need to have strict implementation of laws to stop the cruelty against animals. Animal sacrifice are being carried out in the tribal areas. Though awareness is there against such regressive practices and thus people are even coming forward to lodge FIRs but many a times nothing happens beyond registering FIR for lack of evidence. To check such practices one need to change the mindset of people for which sustained campaign is needed.”