Buffalo sacrifice for Amitabh draws flak

Animal rights activists in Assam are up in arms over the sacrifice of two buffaloes in the famous Kamakhya temple by members of Samjwadi Party for speedy recovery of ailing Bollywood mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan .

SP activists had on Saturday sacrificed two buffaloes inside the temple atop the Neelachal Hills to seek quick cure of Bachchan as well as the prime ministership for party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

SP Madhya Pradesh unit secretary Kishore Samrite confirmed the animal sacrifice.

The incident drew the anger of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) of which Bachchan is the ambassador.

The Animal Board of India also took exception and one of its members, Sangeeta Goswami said the superstar might not be aware of the incident and he would surely have opposed it.

"It's a heinous crime to kill animals in the name of religion and such sacrifices come under the Cruelty Against Animals act," Goswami said.

The temple authorities have, however, defended the practice, saying it is an age-old custom. The Kamakhya board secretary Nabakanta Sarma said the custom is a part of Hindu tradition and it is not proper for the temple authorities to comment on it