K'taka govt to seek details on animal sacrifice by priests

Karnataka government has sought details on goats sacrificed by a group of priests during a yagna organised in Shivamogga taluk from the district administration.
"I will get the details on the incident (sacrificing of the goats) from the local administration for examining it," Law and Parliamentary Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after a cabinet briefing here.
According to a local daily, a group of "Sankethi" Brahmins, who believe in animal sacrifice, had organised Soma Yagna for "good of the world" on the outskirts of Mattur in Shivamogga taluk between April 22 and 26.
After the animals were sacrificed, the priests and the participants of the sacrifice consumed the cooked meat.

Asked about the update on the draft of Karnataka Prevention of Superstitious Practises, Jayachandra said that in the capacity of scrutiny committee head, he had sent the document back to the Social Welfare Department to vet it within the framework of the Constitution.
"The draft bill was studied thoroughly by the Social Welfare Department ... Finally it came to me ... I sent it back in the capacity of scrutiny committee head to the Social Welfare Department that it should be done within the framework of the Constitution," he said.

The 2013 bill had faced stiff opposition across Karnataka with many arguing that it was an act of infringement on several beliefs in different religions.

Asked how the government intends to allay these fears, Jayachandra said the bill is not against any community, however, there must be attempts to spread awareness to keep away from such practises.
"This (bill) is not against anybody, not against any community ... But we are now living in 21st century, and if still these practises are prevalent, the elite class will laugh at us, so we have to bring awareness and keep away from all these practises," he said.