This refers to the report “Balangir tribals insist on Sulia animal sacrifice” published in The Pioneer of January 5.
The report informs about stiff opposition to animal slaughter at altars by various rationalist organisations and the ban of the practice by the Odisha High Court and the Balangir district administration has geared to stop animal sacrifice at the Sulia Jatra this year. This raises a few questions and comments:
(1) Are the demands of the rationalistic organisations holistic or selectiveIJ Will they also demand similar sacrifices on Eid and non-Eid days to be stoppedIJ
(2) Will the rationalists demand closure of abattoirsIJ
(3) Why is the Government encouraging and why are banks giving loans for rearing animals and birds (poultry) for meat as a self-employment measureIJ Is not the meat industry an embodiment of crueltyIJ
(4) One wonders why the District Magistrate, instead of remaining neutral, took the side of rationalists.
(5) It is intriguing that the name of the leader of rationalists was not published.
(6) My humble appeal to the Honourable High Court to kindly view this holistically and not selectively.
SC Panda,
BDA Colony, CSPur, Bhubaneswar