VHP Moves High Court Over Issue of Lioness Sita Accompanying Lion Akbar in Safari Park: Hurt Religious Sentiments
2 lions were brought from Tripura's Sepahijala Zoological Park on Feb 12. The lion was named "Akbar," while the lioness had been named "Sita".
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Bengal unit has raised objections to the presence of a lioness named Sita alongside a lion named Akbar in the Safari Park in Siliguri, West Bengal. Both lions were brought from Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoological Park on February 12.
VHP filed a petition in the High Court of Kolkata, requesting to change the name of the lioness. Park authorities clarified that they have not given any name to the lioness. However, VHP submitted an application to the North Bengal Division of the High Court on February 16, seeking a hearing on February 20.
Meanwhile, VHP has also filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court circuit bench, challenging the State Forest Department’s action of naming a lioness “Seetha” and placing her with a lion named “Akbar” in Siliguri Safari Park.
This pair was recently brought from Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoo, and the forest department officials claim that the names were given before their arrival on February 13. The petition, submitted to a bench consisting of Justice Sujata Bhattacharya on February 16, highlights concerns over giving religiously significant names to animals and requests no such names be given in the future. The hearing for this petition is scheduled for February 20.
