THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: People for Animals (PFA) Thiruvananthapuram chapter has started a social media hashtag campaign -- #Sheer violation of Supreme Court law, #Say No votes @cost of animalsuffering and #Animal torture is Not culture -- against the LDF government’s decision to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The PFA alleges that under the guise of ‘Karshika Samskrithi’, the government is planning to allow different types of agriculture-related cattle races like Kalapoottu, Maramadi, Kannupoottu and Uzhavu which are banned.
The government decision to legalise cattle races has sent alarm bells ringing among the PFA activists. The LDF government has decided to recommend to the Governor to promulgate this as an ordinance. Latha Indira, trustee of PFA Thiruvananthapuram chapter, told TNIE that as a first step, they have kicked off a hashtag campaign against the state government’s move.
“We are surprised at the state government’s move to amend the central law without bothering to hold discussions with the stakeholders. This has been done hastily. The government claims that the races are part of the state’s culture. We are awaiting further details of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Kerala Amendment) Bill and we will look into the legal aspects on how to repeal it,” said Indira.