VHP Challenges 'Sita' Lioness, 'Akbar' Lion Naming At Siliguri Zoo

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has taken legal action against the naming of a lioness as “Sita” and a male lion as “Akbar” at the North Bengal Wild Animals Park in Siliguri, moving the Circuit Bench of Calcutta High Court in Jalpaiguri district.

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VHP condemns names as ‘irrational’ and ‘blasphemous’  

The controversy arose after the two big cats were brought from Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoo as part of an animal exchange programme on February 12, as reported by The Indian Express.

In a writ petition presented on Friday, the VHP criticised the names as “irrational,” “illogical,” and “tantamount to blasphemy,” arguing that they hurt religious sentiments. The hearing is set for February 20 before Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya.

Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoo

According to VHP’s Jalpaiguri unit chief, Dulal Chandra Roy, the organisation had repeatedly protested against the names to state forest officials before resorting to legal action.

VHP seeks immediate action

VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal emphasised the situation’s urgency, urging the court to take immediate action, including changing the lioness’s name and refraining from using religious names for animals in zoological parks.

Advocate Subhankar Dutta, representing the VHP, stated that the petition was filed after the organisation wrote to state authorities about the issue.

However, West Bengal forest minister and TMC MLA Birbaha Hansda refuted the claims, asserting that the names were given by Tripura Zoo and accusing the VHP of engaging in “dirty politics.”

Lions ‘Akbar’ and ‘Sita’ housed separately  

Representational Image| Lexica

Officials confirmed that the lions, named Akbar and Sita, are currently housed separately in Siliguri and are expected to be displayed together in two months.

The animals were exchanged between Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoo and the North Bengal Wildlife Park, with the latter receiving a lion and lioness named Ram and Sita.

However, officials from Sepahijala Zoo clarified that codes rather than names identify animals and that records indicate the lions were named Ram and Sita. 

This exchange programme marks the first of its kind in the last 10 years for Sepahijala Zoo and Wildlife Sanctuary, the oldest and largest zoo and sanctuary in Tripura.

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