Bullock cart races to resume soon at Kila Raipur Rural Olympics: Punjab minister

The Kila Raipur Rural Games, besides known arsenic the “Rural Olympics,” began successful 1933, founded by Inder Singh Grewal to beforehand agrarian sports and accepted Punjabi culture. The Grewal Sports Association had been organising the lawsuit until 2018, erstwhile a ineligible quality implicit the sports stadium’s onshore ownership halted proceedings. The substance was resolved successful 2023 successful favour of the Patti Suhavia faction of the village. From 2024 onwards, the Punjab authorities took complaint of organising the games.

Bullock cart races, erstwhile the main attraction, were banned successful 2014 pursuing a Punjab and Haryana High Court order, which enforced the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling prohibiting the usage of bulls successful amusement events nether the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, owed to concerns astir carnal cruelty.

Efforts to assistance the prohibition person been ongoing. In 2019, the Punjab Legislative Assembly passed The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Bill-2019 to let bullock cart racing. In February 2024, BJP nationalist spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill met Union Minister Hardeep Puri to question cardinal involution for reinstating the races, highlighting their taste significance. Despite these efforts, arsenic of January 2025, the races person not resumed, with the authorities authorities yet to finalise the required regulations.

During his address, Minister Sond emphasised the authorities government’s committedness to elevating sports successful Punjab. He announced a budget of Rs 75 lakh for organising these historical games, benefiting sports and athletes successful the state. He besides highlighted accrued currency awards for athletes winning medals astatine the Olympics and different planetary competitions.

He noted that the Rural Olympics supply a level for participants of each ages, from children to elder citizens, to showcase their skills crossed assorted sports. He besides praised the territory administration, led by Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, for ensuring creaseless arrangements for the lawsuit and its participants.

The opening time featured competitions successful 10 antithetic activities, including men’s and women’s hockey, kabaddi (national style) for girls nether 14 and 17, 60m and 100m races for boys and girls, 1500m races for men and women, 400m contention heats and finals, kho-kho, volleyball for men, shooting events, and accepted agrarian games.

The festivities continued with a philharmonic show by fashionable Punjabi vocalist Preet Harpal connected Friday evening, followed by performances from Virasat Sandhu connected February 1 and Kulwinder Billa connected February 2.