Live And Let Live: Himachal Court Bans Animal Sacrifice

SHIMLA: Live and let live. This idiom has summed up the landmark 110-page humane judgment of the Himachal Pradesh High Court that banned the age-old tradition prevailing in most areas of the hill state to sacrifice animals to "appease" various gods and goddesses in their pantheon.

Invoking 'parens patriae', a doctrine that grants authority of the state to protect persons who are legally unable to act on their own, a division bench consisting of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Sureshwar Thakur observed: "The practice of animal and bird sacrifice is abhorrent and dastardly."

The bench, in its interim order Sep 1, had banned the sacrifice of animals in temples, saying they cannot be permitted to be killed in a barbaric manner to "appease" the gods.

Taking cognisance of holding Jagati Puch - the convention of oracles - in Naggar in Kullu district Sep 26 to decide whether the ban on animal slaughter is acceptable or not, the judges observed: "The extra-constitutional bodies have no role."

"They can't issue directives to the followers not to obey the command of law. They cannot be permitted to sit in appeal over the orders and judgments of the court...any religion congregation cannot become law unto themselves."

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