The proposed Kambala event, being organised as part of the Mysuru Dasara celebrations, has been opposed by environmental activists and several organisations. With preparations for the traditional buffalo race in the final stages, organisations against it have held a protest in Mysuru.
The anti-Kambala committee has announced that it will hold a demonstration on October 6, demanding Kambala not be part of the Mysuru Dasara festivities. The protest is planned in advance of the event, and environmental organisations, farmers, Dalit groups and other NGOs will be present.
According to the organisers, the protest will be held from 10 am to 1 p.m. on October 6. The demonstration is scheduled to take place at a place close to the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) site where the Kambala event is to take place.
‘Go Back’ protest announced
The groups opposing the event have described their planned demonstration as a ‘Go Back’ campaign and have fixed October 6 as the date for the protest. This was announced at a press conference at the Mysuru Press Club.
Kambala committee members expressed their opposition to the government’s decision to include Kambala in Dasara. They said they were prepared to take up the fight even though the preparations for the event were going on as well.
Organisers are seeking to invite environmental activists, farmer organisations, Dalit organisations and other groups to the protest. The planned protest should bring together representatives of different sections of society that have expressed concerns about Kambala.
Opposition amid Dasara preparations
The development comes at a time when preparations for the annual Mysuru Dasara celebrations are progressing. In the city, Kambala is a new event, and we see both supporters and opponents have different opinions about it.
Kambala is associated with coastal Karnataka and has buffaloes racing across a slushy track. Its proposed staging in Mysuru as part of Dasara has attracted attention beyond the usual celebrations, especially those with environmental and animal-related concerns.
The groups who are planning the October 6 protest have urged people who share their concerns to come to the demonstration near the proposed site.
Organisations extend support
Environmental groups, farmer organisations, Dalit organisations and other groups have extended their support to the protest, the anti-Kambala committee said. The committee members also criticised the government for not synchronising the event with Mysuru Dasara.
The protest organizers will also be trying to raise their concerns at the venue and reiterate their demand that Kambala should not be part of Dasara’s festivities.
The demonstration will take place near the place where preparations for the Kambala event are reportedly going on. The timing of the protest is 10 am to 1 pm, the participating organisations have said.
As Dasara festivities get closer and various events are getting started, the proposed protest throws a new layer of public discussion on the celebrations. But authorities will have to handle the demonstration in the context of the Kambala event and other Dasara events.
Further developments on the protest and the government's response to the demands of the anti-Kambala groups are expected to be followed on October 6.
