Jallikattu in T.N., bullock cart race in Maharashtra cleared

The Centre issued a notification to permit jallikattu, Tamil Nadu’s traditional bull-taming sport, ahead of the Pongal festival.

The notification overturns a 2011 notification that prohibited the exhibition or training of bulls, and some other animals, as performing animals. The Supreme Court had in 2014 upheld the 2011 government order.

“Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu, bullock cart race in Maharashtra, ‘Kambala’ in Karnataka and some sort of race using bullocks in Punjab have been traditionally and culturally practiced for centuries.

The Supreme Court had banned using bulls for Jallikattu events or bullock-cart races across the country and directed governments and the Animal Welfare Board of India to take steps to prevent infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals.

 Jallikattu  is a bull taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day.

Bulls are bred specifically for the sporting event and a specific breed of cattle bred for this purpose is known as “Jellicut”.

In May 2014, the Supreme Court banned the sport citing animal welfare issues.

In 2004, at least 5 people were reported dead and several hundreds injured. Over two hundred have died from the sport over the past two decades.

 Unlike in Spanish bullfighting, the bull is not killed and there are rarely any casualties suffered by the bulls. Animal activists have objected to the sport over the years.

How did Jallikattu ban?

The Animal Welfare Board of India took the case to the Supreme Court for an outright ban on jallikattu because of the cruelty to animals and the threat to public safety involved.

On November 27, 2010 the Supreme Court in accordance with the law enacted on the regulation of events, permitted the Tamil Nadu government to allow jallikattu for five months in a year from January 15.

The court also directed the District Collectors to make sure that the animals that participate in jallikattu are registered to the Animal Welfare Board and in return the Board would send its representative to monitor over the event.

The state government ordered that two lakhs be deposited by the organizers for the benefit of the victims which also includes the victim’s family, in case of an accident or injury during the event.

The government also enacted a rule to allow a team of veterinarians would be present at the venue for testing and certifying the bulls for participation in the event to provide treatment for bulls that get injured.

The Supreme Court of India banned jallikattu bull fights on May 7th, 2014.

 The court struck down a 2011 Tamil Nadu law regulating the conduct of Jallikattu and the judges also asked the center to amend the law on preventing cruelty to animals to bring bulls within its ambit.