Karnataka government defends statewide ''Kambala'', counters PETA’s petition
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Wednesday asserted before the High Court that 'Kambala', a traditional slush track buffalo race, represents the cultural heritage of the entire state, not just a particular region.
This statement was made in response to a public interest litigation filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India.
PETA's petition argued that Kambala is primarily a tradition of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts and that organising the event here is motivated by commercial interests rather than cultural preservation.
Advocate General (AG) Shashi Kiran Shetty, representing the state, rejected PETA's claim that Kambala is restricted to specific regions. He emphasised that Kambala is part of Karnataka’s broader cultural fabric and could potentially be held across the country.
The AG further compared the event to horse races, where horses are transported from different locations for competitions across states. He stressed that the issue at hand was whether the event constituted cruelty to animals, not its geographical location.
Shetty also corrected PETA's claim regarding the date of the Bengaluru event, clarifying that no Kambala race was planned for October 26, as previously reported, and that the permission is yet to be sought from the competent authority to hold the event, which is proposed for November.
The division bench, headed by Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind, scheduled the next hearing for November 5. The court directed the state to notify it in advance if permission is granted for the event, allowing PETA to take further legal steps if necessary.
PETA's petition sought a stay on any Kambala event in Bengaluru and called for the enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, as well as the provisions of the state’s 2017 amendments to the Act. It also requested that the court restrict Kambala to its traditional rural locations in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.
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RR beat RCB by six wickets in IPL
Guwahati (PTI): Blistering fifties by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, RCB rode on a fighting half-century by skipper Rajat Patidar (63) to post 201 for 8.
Virat Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) also chipped in with useful contributions.
In reply, Sooryavanshi (78 off 26 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (81 not out off 43 balls) shared a 37-ball 108-run partnership for the second wicket to set the platform. Krunal Pandya (2/30) tried to bring them back with back-to-back wickets.
But Jurel, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (24), completed the task with another 68-run stand, with two overs to spare.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/33), Ravi Bishnoi (2/32) and Brijesh Sharma (2/37) took two wickets.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37).
Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44).
