Tamil Nadu Appeals For Jallikattu In Court And Refers It As A Traditional Celebration
Update: 2022-11-25 12:15 IST
Youth trying to tame a bull at a Jallikattu event near Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.
According to the Tamil Nadu government, Jallikattu is a religious and cultural festival that is observed by the people of Tamil Nadu, and its effect transcends caste and creed lines. As per the State, the Jallikattu ban was seen as an assault on the traditional identity of the Tamil Nadu population.
Later this week, a group of petitions seeking to overturn a Tamil Nadu law protecting Jallikattu are expected to be heard by a Supreme Court Constitution Bench chaired by Justice K.M. Joseph. The petitions assert that the bull-taming sport is a part of the State's cultural heritage and is shielded by Article 29 (1) of the Constitution.
Between 2014 to 2016, the sport was outlawed, but in 2017, the state passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rules. Despite the Supreme Court's 2014 ban, the legislation had reopened the doors for the practise of the well-known bull-taming sport in the name of culture and tradition, reported the Hindu.
However, now the state government supported the law and explained that from being fully eradicated as the human race progresses, a practise that is centuries old and symbolic of a community's identity can be managed and changed. It will be seen as disrespectful of the community's sensibilities and antagonistic to culture.
It added that as a result, Tamil Nadu's residents are entitled to the protection of their traditions and culture and Jallikattu should be considered as a practice for protecting this priceless native livestock breed.