Punjab Bill backs bullock cart race

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 17

The Punjab Cabinet today approved an amendment to the “Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Act” to enable resumption of bullock cart races at the Kila Raipur Rural Sports held in Ludhiana every year. The events were prohibited by the Supreme Court in 2014.

The amendment Bill will be tabled in the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly.

Today’s decision comes a year after Tamil Nadu passed a Bill to revive controversial bull-taming sport Jallikattu.

In Punjab, the government said, bullock cart races had been an integral part of its  rich cultural legacy and heritage, till these were prohibited by the Supreme Court in 2014. A number of representations were received from time to time by the Governor, the Chief Minister and the Animal Husbandry Minister to allow bullock cart races.

In October last year, the Cabinet, had favoured to bring a law in this regard, a press release said.