Punjab to emerge as open arena for animal sports
Bullock cart races and other animal sports, which had put the name of Kila Raipur games at the international level under the banner of Mini Olympics, will now become an integral part of sports across the state.
Convergence of a large number of office-bearers and activists of various organisations working for resumption of earlier status to bullock cart races, horse races, dog races and other avian games from across the state at Mehma Singh Wala Stadium, near Kila Raipur, proved beyond doubt sportsmanship knows no new bounds.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said bullock cart races in rural sports events would commence as soon as the President gave nod to legislations passed by the state Assembly earlier this month.
The Assembly had passed the Punjab Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Act and the Punjab Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Bullock Cart Race) Rules. The President’s nod is mandatory as the bullock-cart racing in all rural sport events was banned in 2014 by the Supreme Court.
Lovers of rural and animal sports were enthusiastic while felicitating the Chief Minister for his role in resumption of bullock cart races and other animal sports that they raised slogans a number of times during his speech and other speeches given by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders.
Pigeon fanciers showed the highest level of enthusiasm as they came in groups carrying placards in their hands. Dog lovers, though fewer in number, were equally enthusiastic as they impressed upon the stage secretary to seek assurance about withdrawal of cases registered against animal or bird keepers in the state.
Organisers had made special arrangements for sports lovers visiting the venue of the public meeting. Separate enclosures were established to display bullocks and articles used to style them up.
Langar, lassi, cold drinks and cold water, were arranged at separate places for different categories of guests.
NRI sports promoters made their presence felt by personally attending the programme and facilitating organisation of langars and stalls.
Charanpreet Channa of Majri village, who was serving langar among guests and police officials deployed on duty, acknowledged that promoters of bullock cart races Chhinda Majri and Gurmel Singh Gela from the USA had shown solidarity with organisers by sponsoring facilities for participants.
Jagroop Singh Jarkhar, chief organiser of the Jarkhar Sports Fair, appreciated that the government had paved the foundation for restoration of animal sports by linking safety and comfort of animals with permission to organisations of such events.
As pointed out by the government, senior functionaries of the government and non-government organisations working for the prevention of cruelty against animals will be deployed to ensure that provisions of the Punjab Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Act and the Punjab Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Bullock Cart Race) Rules, 2025, are not violated at any of the events, said Jarkhar appreciating that the whole state had now become an open arena for animal sports.
Rearing of bullocks had remained a passion among farmers and other animal sports lovers till over a decade ago when bullock cart races had been banned in compliance of the Supreme Court orders in 2014.
Ludhiana