Jallikattu ban challenged, SC to hear petitions on Jan 12

Animal Welfare Board along with PETA on Monday moved to Supreme Court against lifting of the ban on controversial sport-taming Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu.

Chennai: Just days after the Centre lifted the 4-year old ban on holding of controversial bull-taming sport Jallikattu in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, several animal right activists on Monday moved to Supreme Court against the central government ruling.

Animal Welfare Board, PETA and a Bangalore-based NGO have challenged the January 8 notification, in which the Centre removed the ban on organising Jallikattu and bullock cart races in the state. A bench led by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur has agreed to hear the petitions on January 12.

The petition filed by Animal Welfare Board stated that Jallikattu is a bloodthirsty sport where dumb animal is put in great pain. It also noted that Tamil culture is to embrace bulls and not overpower them by taking advantage of their flight response.

The decision to allow Jallikattu, days before traditional harvest festival Pongal begins alongwith bullock cart races in other parts of the country, had come through a government notification despite strong objections by animal rights groups.

The use of bulls in performances was banned by the UPA government in 2011 on the ground that the sport ended in cruelty to the animals. On January 8, the four-year-old ban on conducting Jallikattu event in Tamil Nadu was lifted by the Modi government with certain restrictions.