In a recent development, the Calcutta High Court, on February 22, has advised the West Bengal government to reassess the naming of a lioness currently residing in a state zoo after the Hindu goddess Sita. The single judge Bench, part of the court’s Jalpaiguri circuit, responded to concerns raised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), suggesting that the lioness’s name might offend Hindu sentiments.
The court further directed the VHP to reframe its complaint into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) for consideration by the regular bench of the High Court. The VHP had raised objections, asserting that the naming of the lioness could be perceived as disrespectful to Hindu beliefs.
The lioness, accompanied by a lion named Akbar, was recently transferred to West Bengal’s Siliguri Safari Park from Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoological Park as part of an animal exchange initiative. The West Bengal Forest Department clarified that the animals had been named before their transfer to Siliguri.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, during the proceedings, urged the West Bengal government to exercise prudence and avoid unnecessary controversies. He pointed out the ongoing challenges faced by the state and questioned the need to create more controversies, especially related to the naming of a lioness after Sita.
As this matter unfolds, it adds a new dimension to the intersection of cultural sentiments and wildlife management, prompting a reevaluation of the decision to name the lioness in consideration of religious sensitivities.
