PETA asks parties not to use animals in campaign

New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha election, animal rights body People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India on Monday asked all political parties to adhere to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and not use any animal in their election campaigns.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India also appealed to the public to report any violations of the poll code, particularly the use of animals in election campaigns by political parties, through a mobile application of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The Lok Sabha election, to be held in seven phases, starting on April 11. "I'm writing from PETA India on behalf of our more than 1.2 million members to inform you about a ban on the use of animals in election campaigns in the Manual on Model Code of Conduct (MMCC) by the ECI," said PETA India's associate director of policy Nikunj Sharma in a letter addressing the respective presidents of national political parties.

In the letter, Sharma stated that using animals in election campaigns is "unnecessary, archaic, and cruel." "During these campaigns, animals are terrified by being forced into the middle of screaming crowds. They are often beaten, whipped, kicked, and terrorised, while being paraded through the streets and shoved by shouting mobs," he said.

He said the animals are also often forced to carry loads in excess of their physical capacities, denied adequate food and water, and seriously injured in the mayhem. "We request that you (political parties) issue directions to your party cadre in order to comply with the provisions of the MMCC by running eye-catching and creative campaigns that do not subject animals to frightening, frenetic crowds," Sharma stated in the letter.