Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Nov 19: Kambala, a popular folklore sport involving buffalo race that is very popular in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, which had faced uncertainties after the Supreme Court stayed 'Jallikattu' in Tamil Nadu and organizations approached courts alleging brutality against animals, had got a breather recently after the state high court (HC)stayed a ban imposed on this sport in the first week of this month. However, the high court, on Friday November 18, granted interim stay against organizing of Kambalas in these two districts till November 26.
The said order was issued by a division bench of the state HC of Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice K Somashekhar, which is hearing a public interest litigation filed by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) seeking directions to the government, prohibiting Kambala sport altogether. The bench directed the government to ensure that Kambalas are not held till November 26 at any cost. It also ordered the concerned to collect elaborate details about the dates and places where preparations for holding of Kambala are presently on.
This order effectively puts to naught the conditional permission issued by the single judge bench of HC to the Kambala Samiti on October 28. Advocate representing PETA pointed out that 65 cases of violence inflicted in animals had been registered during the Kambala sport organized during 2014 and 2015. He brought to the notice of the court that Supreme Court had denied permission to hold 'Jallikattu' folk sport in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states because of violence inflicted on animals during these sports. Therefore, he requested the bench to stay organizing of Kambalas in the state.
Senior advocate representing Kambala Samiti, B V Acharya, placing arguments in favour of permission to hold Kambala, said that Kambala is a rural sport that has been organized regularly in coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada since the last 300 years. "This is a sport of rural areas where tradition and entertainment are the main crux. The buffaloes race in paddy fields," he said. He promised the court that Kambala would not be organized on November 19 as stated earlier, but the next Kambala would be held on November 26, and that all preparations for this event are complete.
Acharya further stated that animals are not handled violently during Kambalas, and local tahsildars and and police inspectors personally oversee the arrangements, and the entire proceedings are recorded on video. He said that the organizers will ensure that no violence takes place, and if the Kambalas that are already planned are not held, organizers will face heavy loss. He therefore sought permission to hold Kambala.
The bench however, declined his request and asked the government to see that Kambala sport is not organized till November 26.