Appeal to Mr.P.J.Joseph

[Guest guest]

*Dear friends,*

**

*Please write or telephone Mr.P.J.Joseph ex-minister and member of the

Legislative Assembly of the South Indian state of Kerala--not to proceed

with his plans of conducting a cattle race violating the recent Supreme

Court orders and the law of the nation.The address and phone number of this

member of the august law-making body of Kerala is shown under.*

**

**

**

Mr. P.J. Joseph M.L.A

 

Chairman

 

Gandhiji Study Centre

 

Thodupuzha

 

Phone: 09447073126

 

 

 

Sir,

 

 

 

Sub: Animal races and exhibitions during Karshikamela proposed to conduct

during December 2007 - regarding.

 

 

 

Ref: Provisions in the P.C.A. Act 1960 and the Rules along with the

various Court judgments.

 

 

 

The Idukki SPCA formed under the Central Prevention of Cruelty to

Animals (Establishment and Regulation of Societies for Prevention of Cruelty

to Animals) Rules 2001 – request you to desist from the conduct of the

proposed animal races this year in the wake of the judgment from the Supreme

Court; comprising of the Hon. Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice Tarun

Chatterjee and Justice R.V. Raveendran. The case was filed by the Animal

Welfare Board of India against A. Nagaraja and others and senior advocate

K.K. Venugopal appeared for the petitioners (No.(S) 11686/2007 dated

09-03-2007).

 

 

 

Further we humbly remind you that it is practically impossible to

conduct such animal races without violating the provisions of the Central

Acts and Rules.

 

 

 

We hereby submit the following for your kind information in this

regard.

 

 

 

In every district of India the formation of a single S.P.C.A is

statutory with its duties and powers clearly defined under the Central

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Establishment and Regulation of Societies

for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rules) 2001.

 

 

 

We feel that you have been misled to believe and hence submit

before the Hon. High Court of Kerala as well as Munsiff Court Thodupuzha

that such societies formed (one per each district) all over India under the

said Central Rules of 2001 with clearly defined statutory rights and powers

– have no such rights and powers and are on par or equal with Non –

Governmental Organisation like DAYA SPCA or Gandhiji Study Centre.

 

 

 

Unfortunately this misrepresentation of facts submitted before the Hon. High

Court of Kerala from your part in the case (W.P.© 308/2007 dated 03/01/2007)

denied us the statutory rights and powers in Section *3*(3) and (4) of the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Establishment and Regulation of Societies

for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Rules 2001; Section 96 (1), (2)

section 97 (1) and (2) of Transport of Animals Rules 2001; Section 14 (1)

and (2) and section 15 of the Performing Animals Registration Rules 2001 and

other sections in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, Draught and

Pack Animals Rules 1965, Transport of Animals Rules, 1978 and 2001 etc.

before, during and after the races conducted in the afternoon on

03/01/2007. We are still deeply disturbed that in your earnest enthusiasm to

conduct the cattle race at any cost on 03/01/2007 – most of the provisions

of the above Acts and Rules were either violated or overlooked.

 

 

 

Apart from the deliberate misrepresentations and suppressions of facts

submitted before the Hon. High Court of Kerala to obtain a favourable,

speedy and ex-parte order – there were baseless allegation and insinuations

against the Idukki SPCA and our avowed commitment against inflicting pain

and cruelty on animals.

 

 

We would like to treat those emotional and extempore references

about our objectives and 'ulterior motives to extract money and for cheap

publicity' as closed chapters but firmly request you to strictly adhere to

and follow the provision of the central P.C.A. Act 1960 and the Rules and

the verdict from the Hon. Supreme Court of India and other Courts, regarding

animal races.

 

 

 

Cruelty in a race doesn't confine itself to the acts committed during the

period of the race only, but before, during and after the transport of

animals to the race arena, while being uploaded to the vehicle, downloaded

to the receptacles with ramps, or being corralled and deported.

 

 

 

Statutory documents and certificates should be obtained and produced

for verification and inspection – which are clearly defined in the Acts and

Rules. We requested you to strictly adhere to that.

 

 

 

We need not remind, an exponent of rustic and eco-friendly

agricultural practices like you, that farm animals like, bulls, buffaloes,

cows or oxen are not racing animals like horses. Their physiological and

social evolution and status scientifically prove this.

 

 

 

Please allow them the status, nature has duly bestowed upon them, and

please never infringe upon their basic minimum rights.

 

 

 

We once again humbly request you to discourage, to dissociate and

desist from all such activities that inflict pain and cruelty on these

helpless and companion animals that the Omnipresent has allowed to live with

us. Animal races and such sports only whet the sadistic and gambling

instincts of the onlookers. It is in no way congenial to the promotion of

sustainable agricultural practices to which such animals are an integral

part.

 

As the Chairman of Gandhiji Study Centre, and a member of Kerala

Legislative Assembly and a former Minister of the State, we humbly request

you to uphold the ideals of non-violence and compassion to our fellow beings

as the Mahatma has rightly envisaged and fought for during his whole life

time.

 

 

 

* " The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are

treated " : Mahatma Gandhi.*

 

 

 

Looking forward for a cruelty-free Karshikamela and a Happy Christmas

for the animals around us.

 

 

 

We heartily extend our full co-operation for the same.

 

 

 

Thanking you,

 

 

 

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

A.G. Babu

 

 

Secretary,

 

 

Idukki SPCA.