The Hindu : Karnataka News : Row over move to ban poaching

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Friday, Mar 25, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Row over move to ban poaching

Staff Reporter

KASARAGOD: While major sections of Hindu organisations have warned the authorities against any moves to obstruct the

‘Bappidal' ritual (poaching of wild animals to propitiate the deity), an integral convention associated with the upcoming Wayanattu Kulavan Theyyam festival in seven localities in the district, the district administration has asked the devotees to desist from the illegal act.

District Collector K.N. Satheesh has issued an order to initiate stringent punitive action under the Wild Life Protection Act against those poaching wild animals or destroying the inhabitation of such animals under the pretext of the decade-old religious convention.

The Collector, in a statement here on Thursday, warned of three to seven years prison term with a fine ranging between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 25 lakh against anyone found violating the Wild Life (Protection) Act.

Opposition

A section of Hindu outfits, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and those associated with the Theyyam festival had stiffly opposed moves to impose restriction on the ‘Bappidal' ritual and warned that any move to impose restrictions on poaching of wild animals would be resisted.

The moves to curb poaching of wild animals as part of the ritual by the Forest Department officials will amount to hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindu community and would invite strong protests from the public, ‘Uthara Malabar Theeya

Samudaya Kshetra Samrakshana Samithi district president P. Malinga told a press meet here on March 16.

“If the authorities concerned try to restrain any move to curb any ritual, the people would take drastic decisions, including boycotting of the Assembly polls,” he said.

Move termed unilateral

The authorities, instead of taking punitive action against operating illegal and unscientific slaughterhouses across the district, are bent upon targetting the Hindu community by unilaterally moving to curb the ‘bappidal' ritual, Vishwa Hindu Parishad district general secretary Praveen Kodoth said.

The Vayanattu Kulavan Theyyam festival is scheduled to begin in seven localities in the district on March 25, stretching till the first week of May.

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