Calcutta HC Refuses Stay On Animal Sacrifice In Kali Puja, Says 'It's Controversy If Mythical Characters Were Vegetarian...'

The high court bench while hearing the plea by Akhil Bharatiya Go Sevak Sangh against alleged sacrifice of animals on occasion of Bolla Kali Puja, remarked that it is in controversy whether mythical characters were vegetarian or non vegetarian.

A similar plea was filed before the high court last year as well against alleged sacrifice of 10,000 goats in the Kali Temple on occasion of Bolla Kali Puja.

The Calcutta High Court in a recent order has refused to grant any interim relief in a plea seeking a blanket restriction on practice of alleged animal sacrifice at Kolkata's Bolla Kali Temple on the occasion of "Bolla Kali Puja."

The high court bench while hearing the plea by Akhil Bharatiya Go Sevak Sangh against alleged sacrifice of animals on occasion of Bolla Kali Puja, remarked that it is in controversy whether mythical characters were vegetarian or non vegetarian, a LiveLaw report said. 

The plea was heard by a vacation bench of Justices Biswajit Basu and Ajay Kumar Gupta.

The bench said that since religious practices in East India differ from those in North India, it would not be realistic to call for a restriction of practices which may have become an essential religious practice for many communities, the report said.

The high court said that it cannot order such a restriction as it would be impossible to implement. It further said that without hearing the case at length, the bench cannot grant interim relief. The matter has been listed for further hearing post Diwali break before a regular bench. The Puja however is scheduled for Friday.

A similar plea was filed before the high court last year as well against alleged sacrifice of 10,000 goats in the Kali Temple on occasion of Bolla Kali Puja.

However, another bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagananam had refused an interim stay but had agreed to consider the larger question of the validity of animal sacrifice in West Bengal, the report said.

The village Bolla is situated 20 km away from Balurghat town on the Balurghat - Malda Highway. The village is home to an historical temple, where Hindu goddess Maa Kali is worshiped by the devotees.

The main Kali Puja is held on each Friday after the day of Rash Purnima. Huge number of devotees, from different parts of the South Dinajpur district, gather in the temple during the Puja and offer prayers. A three-day fair is organized by the Puja committee on this occasion.