The Karnataka government defended Kambala, a traditional bull race, in the Karnataka High Court, presenting it as a cultural event celebrated widely across the state. Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty argued on behalf of the state, addressing the division bench of Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind. Shetty emphasized that Kambala is deeply tied to Karnataka’s cultural heritage, and any attempt to restrict it to specific regions, like Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, is unfounded.

Culture of Karnataka

“This is the culture of the State of Karnataka,” Shetty stated. He drew a comparison to horse racing, which is organized across states and even internationally, stressing that the key issue is whether Kambala amounts to animal cruelty. The Advocate General also assured the court that the government had not yet sought permission for Kambala events in Bengaluru, countering claims by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA) India and asking for additional time to submit a counter affidavit.

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The state’s submission responds to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by PeTA India, which argues that Kambala should remain within its traditional regions of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi and should not be organized in urban areas like Bengaluru. PeTA’s petition also seeks a prohibition on government permits for Kambala races outside traditional coastal areas, citing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, amended by Karnataka in 2017, and recent Supreme Court rulings on animal welfare.

The court has directed the Karnataka government to inform PeTA India of any future permit requests for Kambala events outside traditional areas and scheduled the next hearing for November 5, 2024.

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