Plea In Calcutta High Court Challenges Impending Slaughter Of Over 10,000 Goats On 'Bolla Kali Puja'

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday heard the mentioning of a PIL challenging the impending slaughter of 'over 10000 goats' in the State of West Bengal for the upcoming 'Bolla Kali Festival.'

A division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya questioned the petitioner's counsel on whether there was any ban on goat slaughter or any Act prohibiting it in the state of West Bengal.

"No milord, but there are certain rules, like the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Rules, 1950, which require each goat to be certified by a vet as to be fit to be slaughtered, since they would have no other purpose," it was contended.

Counsel submitted that the goats were scheduled to be slaughtered on the occasion of "Bolla Kali Puja" and that such slaughter had been kept in abeyance over the last two years due to Court orders and circulars passed by the Central Government. 

There are big temples across the state, one is the Bolla Kali temple in Dinajpur, which has declared that they are looking to slaughter 10000 goats at once. There are many such temples across the State, where they will be sacrificing goats in their devotion to God," it was submitted.

Upon hearing the plea, the bench directed for it to be listed tomorrow, and asked the petitioner's counsel to serve all the respondents and ensure their appearance in tomorrow's hearing.