Akbar-Sita lions row: Tripura govt suspends top official after HC verdict

The lion and lioness were named by the Sepahijala Zoological Park in Tripura and sent to Siliguri as part of an animal exchange programme

The Tripura government has suspended the state's principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife and ecotourism), Prabin Lal Agrawal, amid a controversy surrounding the naming of a zoo lion and lioness as Akbar and Sita, respectively.

The suspension followed a complaint filed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) with the Calcutta High Court (HC), alleging that the names hurt religious sentiments.

The animals arrived at the North Bengal Wild Animals Park in Siliguri, North Bengal, from Sepahijala Zoo on February 12.

The animals were named by the Sepahijala Zoological Park in Tripura and were transported to Siliguri as part of an animal exchange programme. The authorities at North Bengal Wild Animals Park were considering renaming the big cats.

Akbar was a prominent Muslim ruler of the Mughal Empire in India. In contrast, Sita, according to the Hindu epic Ramayan, is recognised as the consort of Lord Rama, a significant avatar of the deity Vishnu.

The VHP lodged a petition with the circuit bench, urging for a change in the names as they have offended the religious sentiments of certain individuals.

In a verbal observation, the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court stated that the decision to name a lioness and lion "Sita" and "Akbar" should have been avoided to prevent controversy. Questioning if a lion could be named after figures like Swami Vivekananda or Ramakrishna Paramahansa, the bench recommended that the West Bengal Zoo Authority reconsider and rename the two animals.

Justice Bhattacharyya questioned whether it was proper to name animals after deities, mythological figures, freedom fighters, or Nobel laureates, underscoring that such controversies should have been avoided.

"Who has given this name, causing controversy? I was wondering whether any animal can be named after a god, a mythological hero, a freedom fighter, or a Nobel laureate. Can we name a lion after Swami Vivekananda or Ramakrishna? We are not considering the name of a pet dog. Why should you draw controversy by naming a lion and a lioness, Akbar and Sita?" he asked.

Justice Bhattacharya further expressed his disapproval of the names chosen for both animals.