GUWAHATI, May 31 - Singer Zubeen Garg who recently called for an end to the ritual of animal sacrifice at the famous Kamakhya Temple has been selected for the �Hero to Animals� award by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India.
Zubeen strongly voiced his displeasure and anguish at animal sacrifice while performing at a function near the shrine, urging all concerned to put an end to the �cruel� ritual.
�For this act of compassion, Zubeen will receive the Hero to Animals award. All religions call for compassion, no religion requires killing or eating animals, and hacking animals to death with weapons is just plain cruel,� PETA India associate director of celebrity and public relations Sachin Bangera said in a statement.
Last year, following various efforts by PETA India and People for Animals, the Municipal Council of Kullu issued an executive order refusing to grant permission for animal sacrifices that were scheduled to take place on the last day of the Kullu Dussehra festival.
PETA India also offers this guidance on its website showing members of the public what they can do to help stop animal sacrifice. It links to this guideline a letter from the government advisory body the Animal Welfare Board of India to States - in advance of Bakrid - letting them know that, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, the killing of animals outside licensed slaughterhouses is illegal.
It further warns that animal transport laws are often violated when animals are moved in order to be sacrificed.
Earlier, PETA India wrote to the Central Govt and all state and Union Territory governments urging them to implement the February 17, 2017 order of the Supreme Court stating that the Government of India�s compendium of Acts and Rules regarding animal transport and slaughter must be complied with.
