Row over 'interfaith' lion pair: West Bengal govt proposes new names

New Delhi: The West Bengal government has recommended renaming the renowned 'interfaith' lion pair, Akbar and Sita. The proposed names are ‘Suraj’ for Akbar the lion and ‘Tanaya’ for the lioness Sita. This move follows concerns raised by the Calcutta High Court over naming the lions after historical and mythological figures. The West Bengal government has forwarded this recommendation to the Central Zoo Authority.

If accepted, Akbar the lion will henceforth be recognized as ‘Suraj’ in official documentation. Similarly, the lioness Sita will be referred to as ‘Tanaya’. These new names are scheduled to replace the previous appellations in all official records, including those concerning the future offspring of these lions. However, it is notable that the Central Zoo Authority reserves the right to either approve the proposed names or assign digital monikers to the lions at its discretion.

The controversy surrounding the naming of the lions erupted when a petition was filed by the VHP, prompting the Calcutta High Court to scrutinize the matter. The court expressed reservations about naming animals after revered figures from mythology and advised against it to prevent unnecessary contention. The new development arises at this juncture.

The origins of this controversy trace back to the transfer of a male and female lion from Tripura's Sepahijala Zoo to Siliguri Safari Park in February. Upon their arrival, the male lion was named Akbar, and the female as Sita. However, the West Bengal Forest Department, in court, maintained that they were not responsible for the naming.

In connection with this incident, the Tripura government had taken disciplinary action against an IFS officer. Prabin Lal Agarwal, the Principal Chief Conservator of the Forest Department, had been suspended after it was found that the lions were named Sita and Akbar in the dispatch register when they were being transferred to Siliguri Safari Park.