Mangaluru: The District Kambala Committee, will be organise a buffalo race at Kadalakere Kambala field in Moodbidri on January 28 as a mark of protest against the ban on the traditional sport.

At a meeting of the District Kambala Committee at Hotel BMS on Tuesday, it was also decided to form a human chain at one of the signals in the city.

District Jodukere Kambala Committee president Shantaram Shetty said that on January 28, kambala fans and protesters will assemble at the Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri and proceed to Kadalakere Kambala field where the race will be held. About 150 buffaloes will take part.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel called upon the people from all walks of life to shun their differences and take part in the protests against the ban. He said that Kambala is not only a traditional sport but also observed as a religious event. Kambala has been recognised by the state government. During the chief ministerial tenure of D V Sadananda Gowda, the government had released funds for conducting Kambala in Pilikula and Moodbidri.

He further said that in a notification issued by the Central government on January 17, 2016, Kambala was excluded from the Section 3 of Prevention of Animal Cruelty Act, but a stay was imposed on the same. He welcomed the decision of the chief minister who had assured of moving an ordinance with regard to Kambala.

Elected representatives, film actors, students, religious leaders have also supported Kambala. The protests will continue till the ban is lifted. The matter will be raised in the upcoming Lok Sabha session, he promised.

Advocate Pawan Kumar Shetty questioned whether taming of elephants and whipping horses were not acts of violence on animals. Jallikattu and Kambala are related to each other on a wrong assumption, he added.

Vishwa Hindu Parishat leader Jagadish Shenava said that if Kambala is banned, the buffaloes will be given to slaughter houses. It is surprising that the slaughtering of cattle is not opposed and only Kambala is targeted.

Social activist M G Hegde said that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has been carrying out a meticulous plan to destroy agriculture-related activities in the district so that it can take over the land for commercial purposes.

Kanyana Balekodi mutt seer Shashikanta Swami, former minister B Nagaraj Shetty, Kambala Committee president Ashok Kumar Rai Kodimbadi, general secretary Vivek Kumar, Dakshina Kannada district Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, Jeevandhar Ballal and actor Navin D Padil were present.