Chances are that the apex court in the country hearing the plea to lift the ban on Jallikattu would ask the petitioners a number of questions which the latter may find difficult to answer. The Jallikattu event held on Republic Day at Sivaganga district substantiated the allegations by animal lovers that the bulls are treated ruthlessly and cruelly by the players.
The video of the Sivaganga Jallikattu beamed by Thanthi TV on Thursday evening were horrendous and unpardonable.
Though the guidelines approved by the Supreme Court while granting permission to stage the ritual in one of its earlier orders had made it mandatory that the players should not touch the bull anywhere other than its hump, this was openly violated at Sivagnaga throughout the event.
The players, described as Veera Vilayattu Makkal (Brave sportsmen) were seen pulling the charging bull by its tail as well as nose rope. While one or two players were seen pulling and twisting the tail of the bull, others were seen pulling the nose rope. “This is why we have been consistently opposing this event from the beginning. Now the players are emboldened by the promulgation of Ordinance by the Tamil Nadu Government to stage Jallikattu,” said BR Haran, writer and political commentator who has been steadfastly campaigning against the ritual.
Another animal activist, pointed out that regulations may be helpful to put a check on individual human beings. “But will you be able to contoll or regulate the fear in the mind of the animal by these lawsIJ” she asked.
Another Jallikattu event held at Arakkonam, 80 km away from Chennai too was a picture of cruelty perpetrated on the animal. Many players were seen pulling the rope tied on the neck of the bull to make it immobile and thus tame it to win the event.