SC refuses to lift stay on Jallikattu

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to lift its stay on Tamil Nadu’s Jallikattu festival, rejecting a plea that prohibition on centuries old tradition would force farmers rearing the bull to send it to slaughter houses in Kerala.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and N V Ramana, which suspended on Tuesday operation of January 7 notification by the Centre allowing use of bulls in any sport or event, said the arrangements made for it was no basis for modifying its order.

The court remained unimpressed with submission of advocate N Rajaraman, who along with other intervenors, contended Jallikattu was a socio-religious festival organised by people in Tamil Nadu for over 3000 years in which bulls were not put to any cruelty.
The advocate, on his part, claimed the NGOs and people living in metro cities have no idea of the ground realities in the villages, where the bulls of finest indigenous varieties are reared by poor farmers for the purpose as parts of the family.

The court questioned the counsel, “If a bull is treated as part of the family and if it does not work, why is it sent to Kerala (for slaughter)?”

“Pongal will be celebrated even if Jallikattu is not organised,” the bench said.
The advocate insisted, “We even give the bulls names. Why should we allow colonial laws to play with our traditions?”

He urged the court to appoint court commissioners to supervise the event, if it was not satisfied with safeguards. He claimed the ban on use of bulls would only help the beef industry in Kerala. Senior advocates C A Sundaram, appearing for the Animal Welfare Board of India, and Anand Grover for Peta, submitted that the court had in its verdict in 2014 dealt with the issue of cruelty.

‘TN can bring ordinance’
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman hinted on Wednesday that the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu can bring an ordinance to allow Jallikattu.

“As there is a case pending in the court (Supreme Court), the central government cannot promulgate an ordinance in this connection,” she said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a programme here, the minister, however, said the Tamil Nadu government can bring an ordinance and the central government would support the same.