Contempt of court case against govt, Gadhimai Trust for animal sacrifice

Published On: December 4, 2019 08:59 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

Photo: Republica/Files

KATHMANDU, Dec 4: On the eve of the butchering of hundreds of thousands of animals in Gadhimai Temple of Bara district beginning from Tuesday, a contempt of court case was filed against the government and the Gadhimai Temple Trust for failing to implement the apex court's order against sacrifice of animals.

Petitioners Manoj Gautam and Niraj Gautam filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court on Monday, arguing that the concerned government authorities and the Gadhimai Temple Trust had disregarded the apex court's historic judgment in 2014 that clearly directed the government authorities to phase out brutality against innocent animals.

“The Gadhmai Temple Trust in a clear case of disregarding the apex court has failed to implement the decision of the court. As a result, sacrifices will not be discontinued on the temple premise this time from December 3,” they said.

The court first issued an verdict on bloodless killing in the year 2014 and the full script of the judgment came out in July 2016 in which a strict mandamus order was issued whereby the apex court directed the government to come up with a strategic action plan by formulating a task force, which in turn would set a timeline for ultimately phasing out and ending the cruel practice of animal sacrifice.

“We strongly believe that there has been complete disregard, disobedience and non-compliance of the court's verdict by the government and its agencies since the past five years despite persistent efforts by animal welfare organizations and activists,” the petitioners said in a press statement.

The petitioners have argued that the blatant contempt of court by the executive will invariably lead to loss of faith in the highest judicial body of the country.

“We demand that the executive branch of the government comply with the Supreme Court order and initiate appropriate process and put in place right mechanisms to discourage such barbaric practice in the country,” they said.

“We strongly condemn the ineffective role of the bureaucracy that has hid behind institutional veil in order to not perform its duty. It has neither sensitized nor initiated awareness campaigns to discourage the practice in the country.”