Press Trust of India / Panaji Mar 25, 2009, 14:32 IST
The Goa legislative assembly has passed a bill amending Cruelty Towards Animal Act which will legalise traditional bullfights in the coastal state.
The private members bill, moved by Congress legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco was passed unanimously during the last day of state legislative assembly session last night.
The bill gives legislative sanction to bullfighting, commonly known as 'Dhirio' in the state, which was banned by High Court order as it amounts to cruelty towards animals.
It mentioned that 'dhirio' is a traditional sports in Goa for centuries together and it needed to be protected.
Tabling the bill, Reginaldo said that the matter falls in the concurrent list.
The legislative sanction, however, has come with the rider that proper guidelines will have to be issued from time to time to ensure that cruelty to the animals is kept in check.
In the brief debate held before passing the bill, Speaker Pratapsingh Rane cautioned that the bill should not amount to cruelty towards the animal.
The Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar also supported the bill on the floor.
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