Date:08/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/08/stories/2009010859590700.htm

New Delhi

Animal Welfare Board wants ‘jallikattu’ banned

J. Venkatesan

Moves Supreme Court for stay of earlier order allowing the sport

New Delhi: The Animal Welfare Board of India has moved the Supreme Court seeking stay of an earlier order allowing ‘jallikattu’ (bull fight) during Pongal in various villages in Madurai and other districts of Tamil Nadu.

By an order dated January 15, 2008, the apex court had permitted ‘jallikattu,’ subject to conditions.

In the present application, the Board stated that despite assurance by the authorities that ‘jallikattu’ would be performed only during Pongal festival, there were many instances of the sport being conducted in remote villages even after it. The organisers were not informing the Board about the events and there was no control over them.

The Board said the sport, traditionally associated with Pongal festival, had been commercialised. All villages and sports organisations wanted to conduct ‘jallikattu’ for reasons other than tradition or festival as represented by the State in the court last year.

It said there were serious violations of the court order and the guidelines. Many new organisers were filing petitions before the the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court and getting orders for the conduct of ‘jallikattu.’ The High Court had been passing orders without giving notice to the Board.

Citing various instances, the Board said that it was evident that ‘jallikattu’ was a cruel game. It inflicted severest cruelty upon bulls and caused serious injuries to participants and spectators.

The Board said that the cruelty could be prevented only by imposing a complete ban on the sport, prior to Pongal festival or thereafter. It wanted last year’s order modified and a stay of ‘jallikattu’ proposed to be conducted in many villages in the State.