The Kannada film fraternity too has come in support of kambala, a traditional folk sport in coastal Karnataka.
Actor Shivarajkumar called on actors to come together to support kambala. Actor Jaggesh put out a series of tweets too. Kambala is akin to jallikattu of Tamil Nadu and it is time to get united and protect an ancient traditional sport of Karnataka, he said. “Nobody has the right to stop us from holding our traditional sport event,” he said in another tweet.
Asserting that the question of cruelty does not arise in kambala, “as buffaloes are treated with love and affection”, actor and director Rakshit Shetty, who hails from coastal Karnataka, said the sport has a history of over 1,000 years. Pointing at the “victory achieved by people’s movement in Tamil Nadu” by forcing the government to bring an ordinance, Chetan (of Aa Dinagalu fame) said he is opposed to violence against animals, but there is no such violence in kambala. He emphasised the need for a “peaceful movement” against the ban. Ninasam Satish said horse race too should be banned if kambala is banned in the name of animal cruelty. It is time for the government to act and allow the people of coastal Karnataka to hold kambala, he said. “Banning kambala is a threat to native culture. Identity of a region would be lost if kambala is banned,” said Yash, actor. “It is not right to stop something that is in practice for centuries. It is time to unite and protect our tradition,” said Nenapirali Prem, another actor.
