Assam's Traditional Buffalo and Bulbul Fights

• 10 Feb 2024

Source: IE

The Assam government's efforts to revive traditional buffalo and bulbul (songbird) fights during Magh Bihu festival face legal challenges from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who filed petitions in the Gauhati High Court to prohibit both these practices.

• These fights, part of the folk culture linked to the Assamese winter harvest festival, Magh Bihu, were stopped following a 2014 Supreme Court ruling on animal cruelty.
• However, in 2023, the Supreme Court allowed amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, leading to the revival of such events.
  • A recent controversy over a buffalo fight scheduled outside the designated period has prompted legal intervention.
• This issue highlights the tension between preserving cultural heritage and addressing ethical concerns in modern society.

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