Jaya writes to Centre on lifting Jallikattu ban

As the pressure is mounting for lifting the ban on Jallikattu (taming the bull) in the state, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday desperately urged the Centre to promulgate ordinance enabling the conduct of the traditional sport.

Also asking the Union government for extending the current Parliament proceedings or conducting a special session to pass a bill for enacting the conduct of Jallikattu, Chief Minister J Jayalalitha said if both the sessions could not be conducted, the Centre should consider promulgating an Ordinance enabling the conduct of Jallikattu during Pongal festival in January 2016.

The annual event of Jallikattu is held from January to July, played first in world-famous Palamedu, near Madurai on January 15, followed by Alanganallur on January 16.

A specific breed of cattle is bred for the purpose. The Jallikattu bulls are not used in agricultural operations. They are mostly kept as a family tradition or as a status symbol by their owners.

The Supreme Court had last year banned Jallikattu—bull races, bull-fights and other uses of bulls in performances.

Recalling her previous request through a memorandum to legally pave the way for conducting Jallikattu, Jayalalitha expressed regret that the inability to conduct Jallikattu has caused disappointment.