12-07-2025
Bill on resuming bullock cart races passed unanimously; ‘historic': Punjab CM Mann
The draft of the ant-sacrilege Bill was not tabled in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Friday, despite an assurance from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann a day earlier, even as the House passed the Punjab Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2025, paving way for the resumption of bullock cart racing in the state.
The government, however, extended the duration of the two-day special session by two more days amid speculations that it may table the Bill then. This, however, evoked a strong reaction from Sarb Dharam Beadbi Rokko Kanoon Morcha, an organisation whose activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa has been protesting atop a 400-ft telecom tower for the last over 270 days demanding a law on sacrilege. It was following a meeting with the Morcha on June 28 that Mann had announced that his government would bring a law for stricter punishment for sacrilege acts.
Morcha convenor Gurpreet Singh questioned the urgency behind passing the Bill providing for resumption of bullock cart races in the state. 'The bullock cart races are more important for the government than the life of a Sikh, who has been protesting atop a 400-feet tower for over 270 days,' he said.
Gurpreet said after listening to Mann on Thursday, the Morcha had planned to get Khalsa down from the tower. 'But the Bill was not tabled. Khalsa's condition has worsened. He is lying unconscious since morning. A youth, who had climbed up to meet him in the morning, reported that he is in a bad shape. We are now sending a lab technician up to get his tests done. It is unfortunate that he will be able to suffer for four more days…'
'The special session was called for the anti-sacrilege Bill. They should have tabled it,' said Gurpreet.
On Thursday, Mann had said that the draft of the Bill will be tabled in the Assembly on Friday following which it would be handed over to the consultative committee of the Vidhan Sabha.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Mann termed as 'historic' the passage of the Bill that allows the resumption of bullock cart races in Punjab while implementing safety measures for the animals involved in the sport.
Bullock cart races have not taken place at the Kila Raipur Sports Festival in Ludhiana district— often referred to as the 'mini or rural Olympics'— since a Supreme Court ruling in 2014 banned the races for violating the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960.
'Considering the important role played by bullock cart racing towards promoting the spirit of games and sports, and enriching the cultural heritage and tradition in the state of Punjab, which is also a great source to keep Punjab's youth away from drug addiction and also to improve indigenous cattle breeds of Punjab, the government of Punjab has decided to exempt the conduct of bullock cart racing in Punjab from the provision of the said Central Act 59 of 1960,' an official order read.
Therefore, the government has decided to amend the said Central Act 59 of 1960 in its application to the State of Punjab. Accordingly, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being passed, it further added.
Sharing positive aspects about the race, Mann said cattle have been integral parts of the agrarian economy of the state, and the Punjabi farmers have raised them as their offspring for ages.
Those who keep bullocks consider them as their 'own sons', he said. 'We have included a clause in the bill stating that bullock cart operators will not be allowed to carry sticks during races,' he added.
The chief minister also announced that races would not only take place in Kila Raipur but also across the state, emphasising that these rural games are an essential part of Punjab's cultural fabric. He stressed that the bill aims to promote rural sports like bullock cart racing while ensuring the welfare of the animals involved.
