Animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has requested Superstar Rajinikanth to ask his fans to refrain from slaughtering goats in a temple to celebrate his political plunge.
PETA’s letter
We congratulate you for your reported decision to launch a political party as further advancement of your already illustrious, impressive career. The power you already hold can help make a positive difference to the lives of all living beings, and we are therefore writing to respectfully request that you use it now to stop the planned slaughter of goats in your name. Our office has been inundated with calls and emails from upset members of the public who read in the news that your fans intend to kill goats to eat at Alagarkoil in Madurai in your name due to your reported decision to launch a political party on 7th January 2018.
The plan of your fans to kill goats in a temple is cruel and an apparent violation of Indian laws. Goats who are killed are usually transported and handled roughly and hacked at with dull knives in full view of their terrified companions. It is illegal to slaughter animals anywhere other than a licensed slaughterhouse under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Slaughter House) Rules, 2001 which states ‘No person shall slaughter any animal within a municipal area except in a slaughterhouse recognised or licensed by the concerned authority empowered under the law for the time being in force to do so.
A temple where we worship and thank God for life is not a slaughterhouse. Such killing of animals in a place other than a licensed slaughterhouse also violates The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 which states that it is a punishable offense if anyone: “mutilates any animal or kills any animal (including stray dogs) by using the method of strychnine injections in the heart or in any other unnecessarily cruel manner.
Such killing is also a violation of Section 429 of the Indian Penal Code which states that, “Whoever commits mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming or rendering useless, any elephant, camel, horse, mule, buffalo, bull, cow or ox, whatever may be the value thereof, or any other animal of the value of fifty rupees or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both.”
Rajinikanth is currently in Malaysia for the day-long carnival of Natchathira Vizha.
