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More barking and biting comments on police dog wedding
The controversy over the police dog wedding in Kandy continues with the Cultural Affairs Minister insisting it was an insult to the Kandyan tradition while a senior DIG has gone there to probe the matter. Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne was assigned for the probe after Inspector General N.K. Illangakoon ordered the high-level probe on the mass canine wedding ceremony organized by the Police Kennel Division earlier this week with the attendance of more than 2,000 guests.
“Since Cultural Affairs Minister T.B. Ekanayake has called for an investigation the IGP has ordered an inquiry,” Police spokesman SP Buddhika Siriwardena said. The Sunday Times learns the statements of DIGs in the Central Province were being recorded. Minister Ekanayaka said that though the Police had apologised for the controversial dog wedding, he was not willing to accept it as there had been disrespect caused to the local culture.
“I have asked the IGP to inquire into the matter and submit a report. After the report is received we will decide on the action to be taken. We do not accept that it was just a platform where the dogs were kept. It had the features of a ‘poruwa’ on which traditional wedding ceremonies are held,” he said.
Officers in charge in the Kandy Police division had been directed to come along with five policemen from their stations for the event. Some of the family members also were invited for the ‘wedding’ where 20 dogs were married.
The Police Band played as the dogs were brought on to the stage as the guests including the Peradeniya University’s senior veterinary lecturer Ashoka Dangolla watched. The dogs were adorned with the police colours, sunglasses, and hats. The symbolic registration of the dogs took place as a usual registration of couples where the names were read out and the couples were given in marriage.
The dogs were later driven off for their ‘honeymoon’ in Nuwara Eliya.
Meanwhile a retired Senior DIG, Edward Gunawardena, held a different view about the ceremony. In a letter to the Sunday Times he said:
“The dog wedding ceremony at the Asgiriya police grounds has to be viewed as only a new dimension to the traditional shows put on by the Police Kennel Divisions. It is indeed puerile to think that it was an insult to the institution of marriage or the poruwa ceremony.”
“From time immemorial, the dog has been man’s best friend. Primitive men had trained hunting dogs.
Some dogs were even trained to keep fierce carnivores such as lions, tigers and cheetahs at bay. Some dogs even rein in sheep and cattle of farmers. Today dogs are mainly protectors and pets. There are not only guard dogs but guide dogs that help thousands disabled by blindness. The literature of many cultures abounds in the heroics of dogs or their admirable loyalty to their masters. They are truly role models of courage, loyalty and attachment.
“Let us be more charitable to these wonderful animals. Let them have not only wedding ceremonies, but birthday parties, anniversary celebrations etc. Even good detection should be appreciated with parties full of DCD free milk and choice cuts of meat, with cakes and bacon also thrown in. They deserve such goodies”.
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