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Nepal Not To Ban Animal Killings At Terai Fair

Despite urgings by animal rights activists to prevent the wanton slaughter of thousands of animals and birds at a Hindu festival in the Terai plains at the end of this month, Nepal’s government Monday said it would not ban the killings due to religious sensitivities but would hope that public consciousness would rise in future to stop the practice voluntarily.

Pokhrel, whose government has been urged by Indian animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi to intervene at the Gadhimai Fair in Bara district along the Indo-Nepal border where this year the temple authorities have announced they would kill at least 500,000 birds and beasts, said while he personally admired Maneka Gandhi, the government would not impose its will on any community in religious matters.

However, he said the government would keep vigil along the quarantine posts on the Indo-Nepal border to discourage the smuggling of animals from India into Nepal for the sacrifice and would take action against people guilty of violating the law.