An Indian Hindu nationalist group, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has initiated a legal action to prevent two lions, named after a Hindu deity and a 16th-century Muslim emperor, from sharing an enclosure in a zoo. The VHP filed a petition in the state of West Bengal following reports that a lioness named Sita had been placed in the same enclosure as a lion named Akbar. The VHP argued that this pairing was offensive to Hindu sentiments, as Akbar was a Mughal emperor associated with a period that Hindu nationalist groups view as one of subjugation.
Anup Mondal, a VHP official, stated that “Sita cannot stay with the Mughal emperor Akbar,” emphasizing that such an arrangement would be considered blasphemy and a direct affront to the religious beliefs of Hindus in the predominantly Hindu country. The VHP lodged a plea on Friday, urging a name change for one of the lions to avoid religious offense. Critics contend that religious intolerance has been on the rise in India since the ascent of the Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. General elections, anticipated in April, are expected to secure Modi a third term in power.
Mondal claimed that the lion named Akbar was initially named after the Hindu deity Rama when located in the state of Tripura, governed by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. However, the lion’s name was changed upon relocation to West Bengal, which is under the control of the opposition Trinamool Congress party. The VHP’s petition additionally calls for a prohibition on assigning religious names to animals in zoos.
A West Bengal forest department official, Dipak Kumar Mandal, confirmed that the lion and lioness are now being housed separately. The case is slated for a hearing on February 20th.
