VHP moves Calcutta High Court over lioness named 'Sita' being housed with lion named 'Akbar'

The Bengal unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has moved the Calcutta High Court's Circuit Bench at Jalpaiguri, challenging the forest department's move to name a lioness 'Sita' and keep it in the same enclosure as a lion named 'Akbar' at Siliguri's Safari park.

The two lions were reportedly brought in from Sepahijala Zoological Park in Tripura. Forest department representatives assert that they did not give the animals a new name because they were already given one when they arrived on February 13.

The plea was mentioned before a bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya on 16th February 2024 and has been listed for hearing on 20th February.

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“Vishwa Hindu Parishad has with deep anguish observed that a species of cat family has been named after the name of "SITA"the consort of Lord Rama and she is sacred deity to all Hindus across the world. Such act amounts to blasphemy and is a direct assault on the religious belief of al Hindus,” read the plea.

“That to the utmost surprise of the petitioners on 14/02/2024 Uttar Banga Sambad carried a news item with the heading "Sangir khoje astir Sita" (Sita restless in search of a partner). Incidentally the male lion was given the name of "Akbar". The said article and indicated in a lewd way and represented the news in a much objection manner which was bound to hurt the religious sentiments of all Hindus across the country,” it added.

Notably, Akbar was one of the renowned Mughal Emperors of the subcontinent, while Sita, is a character in Valmiki's Ramayana, and is considered a deity in the Hindu religion.