Assam Legislative Assembly's Amendment on Animal Cruelty
Overview of the Bill
The Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Assam Amendment) Bill, 2025, aiming to permit buffalo fights (Moh-Juj) during the Magh Bihu celebrations. This is comparable to the Jallikattu event in Tamil Nadu.
Criticism by PETA India
- According to PETA India, this move undermines the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which prohibits forcing animals to fight.
- The bill contradicts constitutional duties to protect animals under Articles 48A and 51A(g).
- It defies Supreme Court judgments in Animal Welfare Board of India v. A. Nagaraja (2014) and Animal Welfare Board of India v. Union of India (2023).
PETA India's Senior Policy and Legal Advisor, Vikram Chandravanshi, stated that the bill allows cruelty towards buffaloes, which could negatively impact Assam's tourism as visitors expect animal protection in the state.
Legal Precedents and Concerns
- The Gauhati High Court, following a petition by PETA India, previously quashed an SOP by the Assam government dated 27 December 2023, disallowing buffalo and bulbul bird fights for violating the PCA Act 1960, and in the case of bulbuls, the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
- Buffaloes, being prey animals, are naturally nervous, and handlers incite fights by provoking them.
- An investigation by PETA India during a buffalo fight in Ahatguri, Morigaon district on 16 January 2024, found that buffaloes were provoked with sticks and bare hands, leading to injuries.
Call for Reversal
PETA India urged the Assam government to revoke the bill, promoting India's cultural values of ahimsa and compassion.
