Press Trust of India
|
November 07, 2012 12:09 IST
(Jodhpur)
The objection raised by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to one of the major attractions of the lavish affair led to the cancellation of the match.
The birthday bash of British
supermodel Naomi Campbell's billionaire boyfriend here will
not witness the elephant polo match tomorrow as it was dropped
from the programme list following opposition from animal
rights activists.
The objection raised by People for Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PETA) to one of the major attractions of the lavish
affair led to the cancellation of the match, sources said.
Campbell was willing to hold the match at the Chami Polo
Ground here for her Russian boyfriend Vladimir Doronin and had
sent invitations to guests that included several A-listers.
According to PETA, the permission for the match was not
taken by Campbell from the Animal Welfare Board of India
(AWBI). Also the elephants are registered under Rule 3 of the
Performing Animals (Registration) Rules 2001 under Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which prohibits exhibition or
training of an animal as a performing animal.
After PETA's intervention, the AWBI also wrote to the
chief secretary of Rajasthan and the district collector of
Jodhpur to ensure that the match, if being organised as a part
of the event in Jodhpur, was not in violation of the act.
Invoking the act and taking cognisance of the letter,
collector Gaurav Goyal asked Campbell not to go ahead with the
event in violation of the Act.
"Earlier the organisers had claimed they have got
relevant permission for this but later they said they were not
going ahead with the event," he said.
Elephant polo matches are, however, not new to Jodhpur as
they used to feature in many parties and wedding functions
held under the royal settings of the Mehrangarh Fort and Umaid
Palace.
One such event was organised last week during a wedding
here. For this, the permission is granted by Jodhpur Polo and
Equestrian Society, which further makes arrangements for the
match as the elephants are to be arranged from Jaipur.
But secretary of the society, Col Umaid Singh expressed
ignorance about any match arranged by Campbell or AWBI rules.