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Calcutta High Court Suggests Renaming Siliguri Zoo Animals Amid Controversy Over ‘Sita’ and ‘Akbar’ Names

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West Bengal: The Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court has recommended that animals in Siliguri Zoo, such as the lioness named ‘Sita’ and the lion named ‘Akbar’, should not bear names associated with revered figures such as Gods, freedom fighters, Nobel laureates, or mythological heroes.

Additionally, the court granted the petitioners permission to transform their case from a writ petition into a public interest litigation (PIL).

Last week, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) lodged a writ petition in the High Court, arguing that naming the lion after Mughal Emperor Akbar and the lioness after Goddess Sita in Siliguri was deemed “illogical,” “irrational,” and “blasphemous.”

During Thursday’s hearing, Justice Saugata Bhattacharya, presiding as a single bench, suggested that the state government contemplate renaming the two large felines to mitigate the controversy.

The court underscored that Sita holds reverence among many people in the country, while Akbar, as a Mughal Emperor, was renowned for his efficiency, success, and secularism.

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