The Supreme Court on Tuesday thwarted an attempt to revive the bull taming sport, Jallikattu, by staying the operation of a recent Central notification. The verdict has triggered widespread protests by supporters of the 3,000-year-old tradition.
Reacting to the ruling, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa appealed to the PM to bring an Ordinance to restore the sport popular in some parts of the State. Echoing her views, DMK chief Karunanidhi said, “All Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have expressed the opinions reflected in the letter written by the Chief Minister to Prime Minister Modi.”
Meanwhile Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan assured positive action in this regard.
The sport is traditionally associated with Pongal celebrations and with the festival falling on January 14, the Animal Welfare Board of India and several NGOs had approached the apex court challenging the January 7 notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
They said the notification issued under Section 22 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act declares that bulls cannot be trained or exhibited as a performing animal but carved an exception for Jallikattu in TN and bullock cart races in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, and Gujarat.
The Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and NV Ramana stayed the notification as an interim measure and sought the response of the Centre, TN and Maharashtra Governments before March 15.
Police said the situation in Madurai where the sport has largely been held traditionally was tense, but under control.
Protests were held in areas including Alanganallur, Palamedu and Avaniapuram in the district.
Jayalalithaa reminded the PM of her previous letter dated December 22, 2015 in which she had sought promulgating of an Ordinance to enable the State to hold Jallikattu.
Meanwhile, as news of the SC’s order spread, a pall of gloom descended over Alanganallur, 30 km from Madurai, the venue where Jallikattu is held on the premises of Arulmigu Muniyandi Swamy Temple.
“This is like inviting someone home for dinner and telling him that there is no food,” a visibly upset Bhanumathi Swaminathan, a senior manager with a corporate bank, told The Pioneer from Madurai. She said Pongal is not complete without Jallikattu. “The Government notification had made the people happy, but the SC verdict has put a dampener on festivities,” she added.
Hundreds of Jallikattu lovers in Madurai and surrounding places took to the streets following the apex court’s order staying the Centre’s notification. “We will stage black flag demonstrations on Wednesday to express our resentment,” said Mahesh, a bull tamer in Alanganallur.
Though confined to Madurai district, Jallikattu is unique because of its above 3,000-year-old history, according to Arul Selvan, former executive officer of Muniyandi temple.
He said the last time the event was held in 2014 as many as 450 thoroughbred bulls took part in the sport.
RV Giri, president, Consortium of Indian Farmers Association (CIFA) said the present imbroglio is a result of official callousness. “The SC had banned the sport in May 2014. The Government could have brought an legislation immediately after the court order, instead of waiting for almost two years,” said Giri.
Jallikattu and bullock cart races were banned by the SC in a judgement pronounced in May 2014 where the sport was held to be cruelty on bulls. Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi defended the Government notification by arguing that the SC’s 2014 decision was against the cruel treatment meted to bulls during Jallikattu and did not ban their use as such. The notification addressed these concerns by laying down several conditions to ensure bulls suffer no cruelty in the event.
The petitioners led by senior advocates KK Venugopal, CA Sundaram, Anand Grover argued that even with the conditions, the notification went contrary to the SC judgement that was based on the reasoning that use of bulls in this manner cannot be justified as part of a festivity, particularly in the 21st century. Moreover, the Government’s decision went against fundamental duties under the Constitution and Prevention of Cruelty Act.
Rohatgi clarified that unlike Spanish bullfighting, which involves a fight between a man and bull where either could die, Jallikattu involved taming a bull within an arena where people trying to tame the bull die but no injury is caused to the animal.
Senior advocates Shekhar Naphade and lN Rao who were representing TN, argued that while passing any order, the court must balance religious customs and traditions associated with Jallikattu that are 2,000-year-old.