Assam cabinet’s in-principle nod to hold traditional buffalo, bull fights: Sarma

Buffalo fights called Moh-Juj in Assamese are popular in several parts of the state and held during the Magh Bihu celebrations in mid-January every year

Updated on: Dec 8, 2023, 22:03:20 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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GUWAHATI: The Assam cabinet on Friday gave ‘in-principle’ approval to issue detailed standard operating procedures to organise traditional buffalo and bull fights in the state, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said after the cabinet meeting.

The government said the SOP will aim to ensure that there was no deliberate torture or cruelty on the animals (X/eclectictweets)

Buffalo fights called Moh-Juj in Assamese are popular in several parts of the state and held during the Magh Bihu celebrations in mid-January every year.

“In principle approval to the issue of detailed procedure/SOP for permitting traditional buffalo and bull fights to be organised during Magh Bihu at Ahatguri in Marigaon district, Nagaon district or in any other part of Assam,” the chief minister said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The statement added that the SOP will aim to ensure that there was no deliberate torture or cruelty on the animals and that their well-being was provided for by the organisers during the Moh-Juj festival, “an integral part of the centuries-old Assamese cultural tradition”.

The Supreme Court outlawed Jallikattu and bullock cart races in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra respectively in 2014, and later stayed a central government order in 2016 to permit them. In May this year, a five-judge constitution bench, however, upheld the validity of laws passed by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka to allow the bull-taming sport Jallikattu, bullock-cart races and buffalo racing sport Kambala in their respective region.

Despite the Supreme Court’s ban in 2014, buffalo fights on a smaller scale have been held in recent years at the Lakshmi Nath Bezbaruah Kshetra in Ahatguri, 100km east of Guwahati, the most famous spot for the event, and at other locations on a much scaled-down manner.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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