'Jallikattu Going in TN for Last One Century...': SC Upholds Law Allowing Bull-Taming Sport

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the laws allowing the traditional bull-taming sport ‘Jallikattu’ and bullock cart races in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The top court today pronounced judgement on a batch of pleas challenging Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra laws protecting the bull-taming sport.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice K M Joseph observed that Jallikattu is going in Tamil Nadu for one century. “We are satisfied with the materials that Jallikettu is going in TN for the last century. Whether this is an integral part of Tamil culture requires greater detail, which exercise judiciary cannot undertake,” the bench said.

“We do not accept the view of Nagaraja that Jallikattu is not a part of the cultural heritage of the State of TN. We do not think that there was sufficient material for the Court to come to that conclusion,” the court added.

The petitions, including one filed by the animal rights body, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), had challenged the Tamil Nadu law which protects ‘Jallikattu’ claiming that the bull-taming sport is a cultural heritage of the state.

Reacting to the verdict, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S. Regupathy said, “Our tradition and culture have been protected.” The minister further ensured that all precautionary measures are taken during the sport to ensure no cruelty to animals.

An animal rights activist, Ambika Shukla from People For Animals told CNNNews18 that it was extremely unfortunate that the top court has not understood the cruelty these animals face in the name of entertainment. “We will have to challenge the decision. Animals cannot speak for themselves, someone has to take a stand for their rights,” Shukla said.

The top court had earlier said the petitions against the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017 needed to be decided by a larger bench, a PTI report mentioned. The bench then referred five questions to be decided upon by the larger bench.

The apex court had also observed that notwithstanding the cruelty involved in ‘Jallikattu’, it cannot be termed a blood sport as no weapons are used and that people do not take part in the event to kill the animal.

“Because there is death does not mean it is a blood sport. I don’t suggest that people who are going to participate and climb onto the bulls are going there in order to extract blood in that event. People are not going to kill the animal. Blood may be an incidental thing,” the bench, comprising justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar had said.