Mangaluru : The government will write to the Animal Welfare Board of India explaining that animal cruelty was not a part of Kambala as it is with Jallikattu which was explicitly banned by the (May 7) Supreme Court order , said B. Ramanath Rai, Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment here on Saturday, Nov 22.

Speaking in a press conference, he said, we will ask clarification on the direction to the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district administration, not to conduct Kambala, the Supreme Court has not mentioned Kambala in its order on Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu. The Animal Welfare Board of India has misinterpreted the Supreme Court order.”

The apex court had passed the order on banning Jallikattu in May. Rai wanted to know why the Animal Welfare Board failed to communicate to the authorities soon after the order was passed. He also saw a conspiracy behind writing to the district administration at a time when Kambala season has begun in undivided Dakshina Kannada district.

“The AWBI has misinterpreted the order and the provisions of the Prevention of Animal Cruelty Act. The Order does not impose restrictions on Kambala. In fact, Kambala educates on the humane treatment,” he said. Mr. Rai, who has for the past decade organised numerous buffalo races in his home town in Bantwal, said the ban will affect the folk games of the region.

“There have been allegations that though the twin districts have four ministers, we have done little to stop the ban on Kambala. However, this is just politics. AWBI comes under the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The previous UPA-government had not given orders on Kambala. It is the current government that has allowed this, and it is suspicious that the orders are being passed before the Kambala season, when the SC order had come in May itself,” he said.