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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Rishabh Pant overtakes Kohli in Test rankings
Dubai, Oct 23: Rishabh Pant on Wednesday overtook his superstar India teammate Virat Kohli to reach the sixth spot in the ICC Test rankings for batters.
Fresh from a counter-attacking 99 in the second innings of the opening Test against New Zealand, Pant gained three spots in the rankings while Kohli, who made a fluent 70 in Bengaluru, dropped a place to be eighth.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal remains India's highest ranked batter at four. India captain Rohit Sharma dropped two places to be joint 15th alongside Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne.
England star Joe Root maintains a healthy lead at the top of the charts.
New Zealand duo of Rachin Ravindra (up 36 places to 18th) and Devon Conway (up 12 spots to 36th) also made good ground on the latest list for Test batters, while teammate Matt Henry (up two rungs to ninth with a new career-high rating) was the big winner in bowlers' category.
Henry picked up eight wickets during the Black Caps' drought-breaking eight-wicket victory over India in Bengaluru, while teammate Will O'Rourke (up two spots to 39th) was also rewarded for his seven scalps from the same match.
Pakistan spinner Noman Ali was re-instated at 17th on the rankings following his 11 wickets across two innings against England, while teammate Sajid Khan gained 22 places to move to 50th after he was adjudged Player of the Match in the same contest.
India's pace spearhead remains at the top of the bowlers' rankings followed by teammate R Ashwin. Retaining the seventh sport, Ravindra Jadeja is another Indian in the top-10.
