In a letter to head priest Mangal Chaudhary and organizing committee chairman Shiva Chandra Kushwaha, the campaigners have written: "We beg to you on our knees to consider our plea. You, as the main two responsible persons for the world´s largest animal sacrifice, have the ability to show wisdom, compassion and courage by doing everything in your power to abolish the killing of innocent creatures in the name of the God. If you do so, the world will always remember you as the key decision-makers in stopping the killings."
The plea will be enforced during a symbolic ritual on Monday at Gahawa Mai temple in Birgunj.
The campaigners are also sending appeals to the Gadhimai visitors urging them to either keep the animals at home or donate the animals to them. AWNN, together with the Department of Livestock Services, have made arrangements to shelter the donated animals.
Meanwhile, speaking at Nepal Tourism Board on Monday, Australian campaigner Sarah Wilker made a last minute appeal to the Nepali people and leaders to stop the animal sacrifice. "There is a danger that this will result in an international boycott of Nepal´s trade and tourism, which will cripple the economy of the country. If the government cares for the economic future of its people, it should show the moral strength required to stop the sacrifice," she said, adding that international opposition to the sacrifice is rapidly gaining momentum.
On the occasion, over 4,000 signatures collected to request the government to stop the mass sacrifice were handed over to the Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation and Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives.
Related story
Animal rights campaigners urge VP Yadav to boycott mass animal...
