Jallikattu - A conflict of cultural emotions and animal rights

Jallikattu row remains to be a challenge with varied opinions, verdicts, rights, and sentiments.  

The resentment and sentiments of communities against a ban on their traditional custom, and the question of whether it is necessary to continue a sport that only brings pain to an animal are the major conflicts of the Jallikattu case row.

Jallikattu sport is characterised by bulls being unleashed on people who need to save themselves from being hit by the animal. Though the term ‘Jallikattu’ stands for ‘hugging the bull’, what follows is a horrific encounter for the bulls and the people engaging in the practice, sometimes even the spectators of the sport. 

To incite the bulls for running, toxins and powders with burning effects are applied to their private parts amongst other practices causing them extreme trauma. 

The case of Jallikattu and the significant events throughout the course of the case is one to look into . The Environment Ministry had added bulls to its 1991 notification banning the training and exhibition of bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers, and dogs.  Later the centre allowed the use of bulls in Jallikattu considering its “historical, cultural and religious significanc”, by amending the list of animals prohibited from being trained for performances.

 However, in the same year- 2014  SC passed a  judgment in favor of Peta & the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) clarifying that bulls must not be used in Jallikattu, bull races, bullfights, or any other type of performance. 

Centre revoked the ban through a notification that mentions that this exemption is subject to the condition that bulls are not subjected to any cruelty. 

 The Supreme Court questioned the center for its notification on allowing the use of bulls in events like Jallikattu and dismissed Tamil Nadu’s plea to lift the ban on jallikattu in the state, saying it finds no ground to allow the state for the bull-taming sport. 

In this regard, there had been significant protests in different parts of Tamil Nadu. Given that preventing animal cruelty and related subjects falls in the concurrent list of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, State governments have the authority to determine what actions constitute cruelty to animals within their respective territories. On that basis, the Tamil Nadu government legitimized jallikattu by amending the PCA Act (THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT).  SC notified that it will not give a verdict on allowing the bull-taming sport, when the harvest festival will be held in 2017 following various requests from the state government. 

 

Death and injuries from the sport are frequent in the case of Jallikattu, more than 50 died and over 2500 human injuries happened in the course of 2014 to 2017. To tame and subdue the bull during the sport, various injuries happen to the animal as well, they are stabbed, punched, and dragged on the ground.

 

While the legal situation surrounding Jallikattu is yet not clearly resolved, the discourse and protest on individual and collective levels are ongoing.