GULF-GOANS e-NEWSLETTER (since 1994) Sardinha sets the ‘bull’ rolling in Parliament HERALD CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, FEB 13 A Congress member of Parliament on Friday moved a private member’s bill in the Lok Sabha for revoking the ban on bullfights, asserting that these during festivities form part of a tradition going back to centuries. South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha sought a series of amendments in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 to ensure these bull fights are regulated and the animals are protected from suffering any injuries. The bill is basically aimed at removal of the ban on dhirio, a kind of bullfight or a game for trial of strength which is part of traditional festivity in Goan villages during the monsoon, forced by the animal lovers in the State by invoking the Act on the ground that the animals were subjected to cruelty in this kind of game. In the Statement of Objects and Reasons for moving the amendment bill, Sardinha says the bullfights are part of festivities in certain parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu and Goa but the same cannot take place because of the restrictions laid down under the Act. “People in the villages of Goa are agitating over restrictions on events like Dhirio during festivities,” says Sardinha, stating that the proposed amendment bill seeks to exempt the events like dhirio from the purview of the act to enable the people to organise such traditional events after taking due permission from the district magistrate. To ensure no cruelty is inflicted on the animals, one of the amendments in his bill says it shall be the duty of every person organising a bullfight or dhirio to ensure that the horns of the bulls are sufficiently covered so as to prevent any injury on account of edge of the horns, and wherever possible, a thin sheath covering shall be used to protect the body of the animal from any injury. In his election campaign, Sardinha, a former chief minister who got elected in a by-election caused by another former chief minister Churchill Alemao quitting to return to the State assembly, had promised agitated villagers to clamp the ban on dhirio and restore their right to organise these bullfights. He was lucky to get the Bill introduced as just thereafter the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day for want of quorum. It is another matter that his bill serves no purpose as this is the last session of the 14th Lok Sabha and all pending bills collapse on the constitution of the new house. www.oheraldo.in Goa World Goa Mog Goa SuRaj Super Goa (em Português) TGF Writers' Sketchpad www.colaco.net www.goa-world. .com/goa/ music/ - The Online Music Station for KONKANI Mahableshwar http://www.mahables hwar.com St. Mary's School - Mt Abu, Rajasthan India http://www.abusms. com http://www.goa-dc.com/flvvid/ikonkani.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTduCJkQNiQ GOA MAG ONLINE http://www.goamag.net http://mumbaihangout.org/radio/
[Goanet] Sardinha sets the ‘bull’ rolli ng in Parliament
Goa's Pride www.goa-world.com Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:56:47 -0800
