Allow buffalo fights or we will unleash them on streets, protestors threaten government in Guwahati

GUWAHATI: Allow buffalo fights or we will unleash them on the streets, protesters who blocked rail tracks following the state government's implementation of a Supreme Court directive have threatened. While Hajo town in the vicinity of Guwahati broke the age old tradition and did not have bulbul fight, angry protesters blocked National Highway, asking the government to allow buffalo fights.

They argued buffaloes were prepared to fight since October-November and it was not possible to take back the animal without any fight. In Magh Bihu celebration the bulbul/buffalo fights are organised as a part of an age-old tradition.

The Supreme Court had recently prohibited all animal races and fights and directed the Animal Welfare Board of India and the government to prevent infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering to animals.

Thousands of buffalo-owners and keepers converged to Ahatguri, a village in the Morigaon district of Assam, is known to be a popular place where buffalo fights have been taking place in large tournaments since 1972. NGO Humane Society International/India claimed hundreds of buffaloes are forced to participate in fights for a Rs 10,000 reward.

N Hazarika, one of the members of the organising committee, told ET, "It is difficult to make buffalo keepers understand the Supreme Court's directive as this is something which is going on for ages. Committee had decided to drop the fight from its itinerary."

The Assam government had asked all districts to ensure that there are no animal races and fights in the state following the SC directive. Earlier in a letter addressed to the Assam CM Assam Tarun Gogoi, Humane Society International/India urged the government of Assam to bring a stop to the practices of buffalo fighting and bulbul fighting.

The event takes place in various districts of Assam, mainly Sivsagar, Nagaon Morigaon and Kamrup. Aswani Sarma, a member of Hayagriva Madhava Mandir in Hajo said, "We will take to legal recourse to see how tradition and the court's verdict can co-exist."