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Indian charmers want their snakes | Indian charmers want their snakes |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Some 1,000 snake charmers have staged a rally in eastern India, protesting against a law that has made their profession illegal. | Some 1,000 snake charmers have staged a rally in eastern India, protesting against a law that has made their profession illegal. |
Playing their flutes, they marched in the city of Calcutta, demanding the right to perform with live snakes. | Playing their flutes, they marched in the city of Calcutta, demanding the right to perform with live snakes. |
Shows featuring cobras and other snakes have been banned in India since 1991. | Shows featuring cobras and other snakes have been banned in India since 1991. |
Snake charmers say the ban threatens the survival of their way of life. Animal rights groups say it should be kept to curb the abuse of snakes. | Snake charmers say the ban threatens the survival of their way of life. Animal rights groups say it should be kept to curb the abuse of snakes. |
Many Indian snake charmers continue to perform despite the ban | Many Indian snake charmers continue to perform despite the ban |
Raktim Das, the head of India's snake charmers federation, said the government should make the traditional performance legal again. | Raktim Das, the head of India's snake charmers federation, said the government should make the traditional performance legal again. |
He also said serum farms should be set up across India where snake charmers could sell venom for medical use. | He also said serum farms should be set up across India where snake charmers could sell venom for medical use. |
"We are being consistently harassed by the police for keeping snakes, which are snatched away without paying us compensation," Mr Das said. | "We are being consistently harassed by the police for keeping snakes, which are snatched away without paying us compensation," Mr Das said. |
Despite the 1991 ban, hundreds of thousands of snake charmers continue to perform in India. | Despite the 1991 ban, hundreds of thousands of snake charmers continue to perform in India. |
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