Animal welfare group PETA has written to the presidents of the BJP and the Congress, urging them to include animal welfare-related policies in their respective election manifestos for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

In the letters, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (PETA) India chapter has urged the parties to include policies and legislation on providing better protection to animals and harsher penalties for those who commit acts of cruelty against them.

The letters include requests to phase out the use of animals in experiments in favour of state-of-the-art research methods and prohibit the use of elephants in performances, among others.

"It is of utmost importance that the welfare of all living beings is given due consideration and protection. Currently, a person who commits cruelty to an animal can get away with just a Rs 10 fine," said Khushboo Gupta, PETA India's director of advocacy projects.

It also pointed out that The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, is more than 60 years old and is in "need of urgent updates to adequately protect animals".

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