President of Vishwa Prani Kalyana Mandali and Basava Dharma Jnanpith Dayananda Swami has urged the Gadag district administration to take necessary steps to prevent likely animal sacrifice during the Sri Durga Devi Fair to be held at Bommasamudra in Gadag district from Tuesday to Thursday.
Addressing presspersons in Hubballi on Monday, Dayananda Swami said that the annual Jatra Mahotsava will be attended by lakhs of devotees from across Karnataka and the neighbouring States of Maharashtra and Goa.
And, in the name of religion, several devotees are likely to sacrifice animals despite a strict prohibition of it, he said.
Dayananda Swami said that during the annual fair, goat, sheep, hen and bulls are likely to be sacrificed and offered to the deity. This should be prevented at any cost, he added.
“Sacrificing animals in the name of deity and religion is a punishable offence under Karnataka Prevention of Animal Sacrifice Act 1959, rules of 1963 and amended act of 1975,” he said.
He said that his organisation has already submitted memorandum to the Chief Secretary, the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police on the issue and urged the authorities to take steps to prevent any type of animal sacrifice.
Dayananda Swami said that carrying out animal sacrifice is not only inhuman and superstitious but it also pollutes the environment.
“It is not just illegal but anti-religion also. So, the devotees should shun animal sacrifice and worship the deity in a nonviolent manner. Temples should not be allowed to be made slaughterhouses and temple premises should not be the streets of butchers,” he said.
To a query, he pointed out that his organisation is already involved in the process of creating awareness among the general public about the law and also the need to eschew such inhuman practice.
He has been touring along with his team to sensitise the public on the issue in the surrounding villages, he said.
