Calcutta High Court seeks report from state government over naming a lioness as ‘Sita’

The court has posted the matter for hearing on Thursday.

Advocate Subhankar Dutta, appearing on behalf of VHP, said, “We had moved a petition against the naming of a lioness after a Hindu deity. We had prayed that no animal be named after any religious deity. Today, the court heard our prayer and sought a report from the state government on this. The matter will come up for hearing again tomorrow.”

Dutta, who welcomed the move by the court, claimed it to be a victory on the part of the VHP as the High Court has taken up the matter with the state government.

Last week, VHP had moved the Circuit Bench of Calcutta High Court in Jalpaiguri district against a lioness being named after Goddess Sita and male lion named after Mughal emperor Akbar at Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri. The two big cats were brought to the Siliguri zoo from Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoo along with eight other animals, as part of an animal exchange programme on February 12.

However, the West Bengal forest department had denied naming the lion and lioness as ‘Sita’ and ‘Akbar’, respectively. The Tripura zoo officials maintained that the big cats’ names were ‘Ram’ and ‘Sita’ as per official records.

The VHP, in its writ petition, which was presented on Friday, had submitted that such names for the cat family were “irrational”, “illogical” and “tantamount to blasphemy”.

“The VHP first wrote to the state authorities regarding the issue. Thereafter, we filed the petition before the Calcutta High Court Circuit Bench in Jalpaiguri. We feel naming animals after Hindu gods and goddesses has hurt religious feelings and sentiments. The matter was mentioned on February 16 and will be heard on February 20,” advocate Dutta, had told The Indian Express over phone from Siliguri.

The petition filed by the VHP stated: “On February 8, 2024, Sepahijala Zoological Park handed over one male lion and a lioness along with eight other animals to North Bengal Wildlife Animals Park, Siliguri for the said animal exchange programme… The Bengal Safari Park has named the female lion as ‘Sita’. By using the name of ‘Sita’ for a lioness, the respondent authority is hurting religious sentiments of Sanatan Dharma…”

“Such naming of a cat family after a religious deity, namely Sita, is irrational, illogical…The outrageous nomenclature has angered petitioners’ religious sentiments. That it is stated by the petitioner that such naming of animals after the name of religious deities is very much sacrilegious and tantamount to blasphemy…” the petition further stated.