BAN CARRIES NO EFFECT ON SACRIFICING 30,000 ANIMALS AND BIRDS

BAN CARRIES NO EFFECT ON SACRIFICING 30,000 ANIMALS AND BIRDS 30/12/2011
ODISHA NEWS:


Defying prohibitory orders clamped by the district administration, ‘sacrifice’ of hundreds of animals on Tuesday morning at the Sulia festival at Saan Khala under Tusura police station, threw an open challenge to court orders and pained animal rights activists with its gory and hideous scenes on the spot.
Sulia Yatra is a traditional festival of the local tribals, held every year on the first Tuesday of the Hindu calendar month of Pausha.


Every year hundreds of animals, buffaloes, goats, hens and sheep are ‘sacrificed’ at the altar of Sulia Budha, the local tribe’s revered god. While the tribals held the view that they offered animals to the god after fulfillment of their individual wishes, the rationalists and the animal lovers opposed it as the worst kind of cruelty to animals and termed it as the most inhuman practice. Sulia Yatra is observed at two places, Khairaguda and Kummuria. Majority of animal ‘sacrifices’ earlier took place at Khairguda.


In 2006, the High Court directed the Balangir district administration to stop the hideous practice at the main yatra centre. And, accordingly, the administration took hard steps and the ‘sacrifices’ at Khairguda (the main centre) came to a halt.


But, strategically, the tribals only shifted their yatra site to Saan Khala and carried out their age-old tradition as usual, not affected by the court ban or the administration’s prohibitory orders. Following the imposition of prohibitory orders, they had created a new khala (sacrificing ground).

This year, the district administration had clamped prohibitory orders in three places — Bad Khala, Saan Khala, and Nuaan Khala.
Large number of police personnel and administrative officials were present at the spot but could not prevent the gruesome ritual, remaining mute spectators as buffalos, hens and goats in large numbers were butchered in Badkhala and Sankhala near Khairguda village, in violation of the prohibition order of the district administration.


“We have proclaimed 144 Cr PC at Badkhala, Sanakhala and Nuakhala and noticed 22 priests u/s 107 Cr PC to prevent animal sacrifice. But we could not stop animal sacrifice this year,” a senior officer of Balangir district administration said. However, he assured to take stringent action against those who indulged in the activities violating the court direction.


According to reports, notwithstanding the prohibitory orders, the tribals continued their sacrificial rituals at the Saan Khala on Tuesday morning and created the new ground — Nuaan Khala, informed Paschim Odisha Adivasi Kalyan Sangha Secretary Niranjan Bisi.


Tribals have a distinct identity and their customs, rituals and worships are totally different. They are strongly opposed to the attempts to impose non-tribal culture and tradition upon them.


“Hundreds of animals are being killed in broad daylight everyday in the Balangir town and elsewhere. Is it not cruelty to animals? Bisi asked.


He further asked, “If we, the tribals, sacrifice animals to our gods once in a year at a secluded place inside the jungle, why should the non-tribals object to it?” The tribals would carry on their customs, rituals and practices including offering of animals to deities, he asserted.


No animal sacrifices took place at the main puja place. Asked to comment on killing of animals at the Saan Khala, where prohibitory order was clamped by the district administration, Balangir Sub-Collector Jyoti Ranjan Pradhan said he would look into it and action would be taken as per law.


“We demand action against the persons who violated the rule of law. The Sulia Sanskar Manch is also contemplating to file Contempt of Court against those officials responsible for the lapses,” said manch convener Santanu Naik, reacting to the killing of animals at the place where prohibitory order was clamped.

The ban message, however, seems to have been adhered to by some people in Bad Khala where no animal was sacrificed. The rituals here passed off peacefully under the stewardship of head priest Biranchi Kunar.


Orissa high court had directed the district administration to prevent animal sacrifice during Sulia Yatra three years ago. The high court passed the interim order, acting on the petition of Sulia Samskar Manch, a Balangir-based NGO, protesting the practice of animal sacrifice.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA,
BUREAU CHIEF, THESE DAYS,
ODISHA