Andhra leaders urge Centre to allow cockfights

Hyderabad, Jan 13: Some public representatives and organisations from Andhra Pradesh have urged the central government to treat cockfight as a traditiol game like bull taming sport Jallikattu in Tamil du. With the Centre urged to issue an ordince to allow Jallikattu, leaders from coastal Andhra Pradesh have demanded that cockfight should also be brought under the purview of such an ordince. Bharatiya Jata Party (BJP) leader Raghurama Krishm Raju, public representatives from East and West Godavari districts and leaders of some people’s organisations have written a letter to the union home secretary in this regard. The move comes amid a warning by police that they will implement court orders banning cockfights and take strict action against violators. Krishm Raju and others say cockfights are part of the culture as they are traditiolly organised during the Sankranti festival. They claim that 80 percent of people want cockfights. Raju, who had last year challenged the high court order against cockfights, argues that without cockfights, the festival will lose its significance. The Sankranti festival spread over 3-4 days is scheduled to be celebrated from Thursday. The Andhra Pradesh government last week assured the Hyderabad High Court that it will take all steps to ensure that cockfights are not organised. Police in the two Godavari districts and Krish district have put up banners, informing people that the Supreme Court has banned cockfights. (IANS)