Ranchi: A day before Jharkhand's tribal hunting festival begins, the state government appealed to the tribals against the killing of animals and to protect them instead.
The week-long tribal hunting festival called Visu Shikar begins today and the appeal has come from Deputy Chief Minister Sudhir Mahto, who also heads the forest and environment ministry.
The appeal, which has appeared in several newspapers, reads: "Forests and animals are an important part of nature and human beings are closely associated with them. Due to increase in human population, the forest density and number of wild animals have decreased".
But Dalma Buru Sendra Samiti (DBSS), a tribal organisation, has decided to go ahead with the celebrations and hunt animals.
"The government should not interfere in our culture and traditions. How can we give up our traditions?" said Ashok Soy, a tribal leader.
During the week-long Visu Sikar, tribals wake up early in the morning, bathe and worship gods, their ancestors and hunting weapons like bows and arrows. They then go into the jungles in search of animals by beating drums and chanting hymns. Any animal sighted is killed.
