Sri Lanka to ban animal sacrifices at Hindu temples

The law would come into effect once passed by Parliament. Pic/AFP

Animal sacrifices in Hindu temples in Sri Lanka could be banned after the Cabinet approved a proposal to enact laws banning the "primitive" methods of worship, amid calls from the Hindu community to make the ritual a "punishable offence" in the Buddhist-majority country.

The Cabinet headed by President Maithripala Sirisena approved the proposal submitted by Resettlement, Rehabilitation, Northern Development and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister DM Swaminathan.

Hindu Cultural Affairs Director Uma Maheswaran was quoted as saying by the government-owned newspaper 'Daily News' that the slaughter of animals such as goats and fowls in Hindu temples would be banned by this legislation.

He said the law would come into effect once passed by Parliament. According to the Cabinet Memorandum, animal and bird sacrifices in Hindu Temples or its precincts will be prohibited.

Sirisena's anger over airline cashew nuts
Sri Lanka's national airline said it has stopped serving cashews after the country's president flew into a rage over nuts served to him on a flight to Colombo. "Returning from Kathmandu, I was served some cashews on board a SriLankan flight, but it was so bad even a dog wouldn't eat it," Maithripala Sirisena said on Monday.

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