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The Calcutta High Court, in response to a recent controversy at the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri, has urged the West Bengal government to rename the lion “Akbar” and and lioness “Sita”. This directive came during a hearing of a petition filed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, as reported by Live Law.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya emphasised the importance of avoiding religious or cultural sensitivities in naming animals. He questioned whether it was appropriate to name them after figures revered across different faiths or nationalities.
“Will you name a lion after a Hindu deity, a Muslim prophet or Christian god or freedom fighter or nobel laureate? Generally anyone who is revered or respected by the people of our country?” Justice Bhattacharyya asked.
Justice Bhattacharyya expressed concerns about potential controversies and suggested that such names should be reconsidered, pointing out the historical significance of figures like Akbar. The judge urged the state authorities to refrain from naming animals after figures that might provoke religious or cultural sensitivities.
The West Bengal government informed the court that the lions were names by the Tripura Zoo authorities in 2016 and 2018 before their recent transfer to the Bengal Safari Park.
“You are a welfare state and it is a secular state. Why should you draw controversy by naming a lion after Sita and Akbar? This controversy should have been avoided. Not only Sita, but I also don”t support the naming of a lion Akbar. He was a very efficient and noble Mughal emperor. Very successful and secular Mughal emperor. If it is already named, the state authority should shun it and avoid it,” Justice Bhattacharyya said.
Justice Bhattacharyya also redirected the petition filed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to be treated as a public interest litigation (PIL), thereby transferring it to a regular bench specialized in handling PIL cases.
The Bengal wing of the VHP had opposed the West Bengal government”s decision to keep the two big cats together. The outfit demanded a change in the name of the lioness, contending that keeping the two animals together was disrespectful to Hindus.
