Fiestas Without Cruelty: Let Sankranti Mark The Beginning of Season of Compassion!

Days ahead of the harvest festival, bright colorful kites are flooding the markets and streets across the country, making it hard to miss the festive vibes. Sankranti is synonymous with Kite flying in India. But what eclipses the fun of this festival is the sale of lethal, toxic and non-biodegradable Chinese manja that harms birds, humans, and the environment.

Chinese manja is constructed with nylon and coated with powdered and finely crushed glass. Copper and other metals are often used to coat synthetic thread. This coating ensures that the thread does not snap easily and makes it more dangerous to bystanders and birds.

This is why you shouldn't buy Chinese Manja.

Chinese manja poses a serious threat to the well-being of animals and humans alike. Each year, thousands of birds are killed or maimed due to the use of Chinese manja.

It is made up of non-biodegradable material and remains in the environment for a long period of time and thus continues to act as a perennial killer of birds and humans.

It gets deposited on the trees, electric lines, etc acting as a death trap for birds all year round even when the festivities are over.

Chinese manja cuts power lines, causes electrocution and poses a grave danger to motorcyclists.

Increased demand for Chinese manja has affected the livelihoods of cotton manja makers who work on cotton threads.

Many state governments including Government of Telangana, Government of Andhra Pradesh and Government of Delhi have banned the use of Chinese manja over the past 3-5 years. Despite the ban being slapped on the sale of Chinese manja, this hazardous kite-flying string find its way up to the skies through unscrupulous shopkeepers. HSI/India urges consumers to not buy chinese manja being sold and to report to the police and forest department instead.

Alokparna Sengupta, managing director HSI/India, said, "Tradition can never be an excuse for harming other animals. Each year, Sankranti celebrations turn into a death trap for many. Kite flying and Cockfighting create both human and animal victims and also precipitate many social and economic evils. Ban on sale of Chinese manja and on Cockfighting which is being reiterated by various governments and Courts respectively is a significant step towards compassionate celebrations. But this effort will yield only when we all act collectively to implement it in letter and spirit."

Another cruel practice that mars the festive spirit of Sankranti is the practice of cockfighting. Cockfighting is rampantly conducted illegally in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It is a blood sport in which two roosters are pitted against each other. These birds are fitted with razor-sharp blades on their legs and made to fight each other to death for the primary purpose of gambling and entertainment.

The Supreme Court of India has banned cockfighting as a violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960. The High courts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana reiterated the prohibition on cockfighting but the writ does not appear to make way to the rural roads of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana where this sport is still prevalent. Cockfighting is not just cruel to animals but also encourages other social evils like betting, gambling, sale of illicit liquor and even child labor. To pull the plug on, swift implementation of the court's order is required to ensure that no animal is harmed for the sake of entertainment.

HSI/India is laboring to ensure that people who participate in this illegal and cruel sport, anywhere in India, are prosecuted. You can anonymously report incidents of animal fighting organized in any part of the country by contacting us on our national animal-fighting tipline number 07674922044.

We urge the state authorities to act in unison and ensure that the ban on cockfighting is implemented in letter and spirit. This also requires the commitment of the organizers and citizens to refrain from participating in this cruel form of entertainment.

Facts:

The Hon'ble High Court of Bombay prohibited animal fighting in 1996 by upholding the Sections 11(1) (m) (ii) and (n) in a People for Animals vs State of Goa case.

On May 7th, 2014, the Hon'ble Supreme Court passed an order prohibiting all animal races and fights, thereby directing the Animal Welfare Board of India and the government to prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering to animals and ensure that no animals are incited to fight against a human being or another animal.

In May 2014, the High Court of Madras in the S. Kannan vs Commissioner of Police case declined permission to a cockfighting event in a temple festival and suggested the prohibition of cockfights in the state of Tamil Nadu.

In December 2014, following a petition filed against cockfighting, the Bombay High Court reiterated the ban on cockfighting in the State of Maharashtra

Following HSI/India's intervention, the State Government of Assam directed the Deputy Commissioners of all districts and the Commissioner of Guwahati to ensure that no animal fight events are organized, especially buffalo fights and bulbul fights

In 2015, after HSI/India's intervention, the Hon'ble Supreme Court ruled against a petition to lift the ban on cockfighting in Andhra Pradesh

In 2016, the High court of Judicature at Hyderabad reiterated a complete prohibition on cockfighting and again in 2018

In 2017, The High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad has impleaded at least 17 elected representatives of Andhra Pradesh for the deliberate violation of the ban on cockfighting as well as encouraging gambling and the sale of illicit liquor

Despite all these court orders, Cockfighting is still conducted and the law is flouted