No Kambala event in Bengaluru on Oct 26: Committee informs High Court
Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Kambala Committee has informed the High Court that there will be no Kambala event on October 26 at the Palace Grounds in the city, and no request has been submitted to the competent government authority to hold the event elsewhere.
A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by PETA challenging the Bengaluru Kambala event, and the matter was heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice N.V. Anjaria and Justice K.V. Aravind.
During the hearing, advocate Vinod Kumar, representing the Bengaluru Kambala Committee, informed the court that no Kambala event is scheduled for October 26. Senior advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, representing PETA, argued that if permission is granted to conduct the event, it should be brought to their attention, so they can approach the court. He also mentioned that a Kambala event is being planned on November 9 near the Pilikula Zoo in Dakshina Kannada. The zoo's director has written to the deputy commissioner, raising concerns about the impact of the event's noise on animals.
Appearing for the state government, Advocate General K. Shashikiran Shetty said that documents related to the legal permission granted for last year’s Bengaluru Kambala will be submitted to the court. He added that PETA's objection centres on the claim that the event causes cruelty to animals. The court is now faced with the question of whether Kambala should be restricted to Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Kambala is an integral part of Karnataka's culture, and there is now an opportunity to showcase it across the country. The central issue is whether animals are being subjected to cruelty. He also pointed out that horses are imported and exported to other states and countries for horse racing. He assured the court that any decision taken by the government will be communicated to the bench.
The court directed the state government to submit its objections and adjourned the hearing to November 5.
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Delhi: BJP sets up stage at Chhat ghat to remind AAP of promise to clean Yamuna
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Thursday set up a stage at the Yamuna's Chhath Ghat here with two chairs for Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal to remind them of the AAP's promise to clean the river.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva took a dip in the Yamuna and "sought forgiveness" for the "corruption" of the Delhi government, which he alleged looted funds meant for cleaning the river, a party statement said.
On Wednesday, Sachdeva had challenged Kejriwal to take a dip in the river, saying that he had promised the people of Delhi that he would clean it before Chhath puja 2025 so that they could bathe in it.
Ahead of the Purvanchali festival of Chhath, which is celebrated days after Diwali, the ruling AAP and the BJP have been slugging it out over heavy pollution and toxic froth in the river.
On Thursday, the BJP set up a stage at Chhath Ghar near ITO. On the stage, which was covered with a red carpet, were two tufted chairs with the names of Kejriwal and Atishi.
"We have been waiting for Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi to come and have a look at the condition of the Yamuna. Two chairs and a red carpet have also been put here to welcome them," Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said.
Sachdeva took a dip in the river in the morning and "sought forgiveness from Maa Yamuna as (the governments of) Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi Marlena looted funds worth Rs 8,500 crore for cleaning the Yamuna but did not clean the river".
"This Kejriwal-Marlena government is shameless but the people of Delhi seek Maa Yamuna's forgiveness for their corruption," he said.
The AAP has accused the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Haryana of releasing untreated industrial wastewater in the Yamuna ahead of the festive season, leading to unprecedented pollution and frothing in the river.
