'Why draw controversy?' Calcutta HC asks govt to rename lions Akbar and Sita

The Calcutta High Court asked the West Bengal government to rename the lion named ‘Akbar’ and the lioness named ‘Sita’ after VHP filed a plea objecting to the lioness bearing the name of a Goddess being placed in the same enclosure of lion who is named after the Mughal emperor.

Both lions are currently kept in the same enclosure at Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri.

In an oral direction, the single-judge bench asked the state to avoid controversy and consider renaming the animals.

"Will you name a lion after a Hindu deity, a Muslim prophet, or Christian god, or freedom fighter, or a Nobel laureate? Generally, anyone who is revered or respected by the people of our country?" Justice Bhattacharyya asked, reported Live Law outlet.

The Additional Advocate General, representing West Bengal, told the court that the lions were named in Tripura and the state itself was already considering renaming the lions.

The bench also noted that the animals should not be named after revered figures, mythological heroes, freedom fighters or Nobel laureates.

"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.

During the hearing, the court also reclassified the petition by Vishwa Hindu Parishad as a public interest litigation (PIL) and redirected it to a regular bench that can hear PILs.

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