While uplifting the ban imposed in 2012 by the Supreme Court, the Centre has laid down norms or you can say guidelines for conducting the races which are popular in rural areas of India. Supreme Court’s ban on the bullock cart racing in Maharashtra had come on petitions filed by the Shirur MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who belongs to BJP’s ally Shiv Sena, and others. Then the government at the centre and in the state were of Congress-led UPA, however, today at both the places government run by BJP led NDA.
A gazette notification by the Union Environment Ministry says that bulls may be continue to be exhibited or trained as performing animal at events such as Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and bullock cart races in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Gujarat. The races shall be monitored by the district society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and State Animal Welfare Board, besides the district authorities. The bullock cart races are traditionally held in Western Maharashtra’s Bhosari, Khed, Satara and other areas. During these sports, bulls get injured because they are beaten up by the bullwhips to run fast and pulling their nostril strings injured their noses. Permanent injuries to bulls send them to slaughter houses. These controversial bull races like ‘Jallikattu’ and ‘Baillanchi Shariat’ are cruel and abusive.
Major injuries and deaths also may occur from such sports. In 2004, many were reported dead and several hundreds injured during Jallikattu event. Over 200 have died from the sports over the past two decades. Unlike in Spanish bullfighting, the bull is not killed and there are rarely any casualties. Animal activists have objected to the sports over the years. The Animal Welfare Board of India took the case to the Supreme Court for an outright ban on Jallikattu because of the cruelty to animals and the threat to public safety involved. On 27 November 2010, the Supreme Court in accordance with the law enacted on the regulation of events, permitted the Tamil Nadu government to allow Jallikattu for five months in a year from January 15. The court also directed the District Collectors to make sure that the animals that participating in Jallikattu should register in the Animal Welfare Board and in return the Board would send its representative to monitor the event. The state government ordered that Rs. 2 lakhs to be deposited by the organisers for the benefit of the victims which also include the victim’s family, in case of an accident or injury during the event. The government also enacted a rule to allow a team of veterinarians would be present at the venue for testing and certifying the bulls for participation in the event and to provide treatment for bulls that get injured.
Actually, animal activists fume over the BJP government’s decisions and termed it as a ‘political’ reasons. However, Animal Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi, who was once vocal on animal issues are now keeping mum on her Government’s decision of lifting the ban as she cannot go against her own party’s choice. Now, the bull fight would be between the political parties too and that including BJP and AIWB. Since, all the parties have spoken in favour of the sport; this would not tilt the political scales in Tamil Nadu elections and the alliance mathematics will place the major roll. However, every national as well as political party will try to take credit for this. Bulls are let loose during the event and young men compete to subdue them.
The previous UPA government ordered a ban in 2011 but it was not implemented until 2015 after the Supreme Court had dismissed a slew of legal challenges. Tamil historians claim the sport dates back to the second century AD and predates the Spanish matadors. Most of the people of this country are “horrified” that the same authorities who claimed to care on cattle are now allowing the cruelty on it even after it has been banned by the apex court of India.
It is a practice which people of TN takes as tradition but should not be allowed if it has inhuman and cruelty angle. There are many cruel traditions that are banned in India looking at human welfare; Jallikattu is also on the same lines. We, as a nation, cannot behave responsibly when it comes to drinking alcohol or playing lottery (when both were part of our tradition & culture). We got lottery banned and now want alcohol to be prohibited. People involved in Jallikattu often abuse themselves and the bull, and that is not going to end unless ban put on it. How can we expect them to take care of the bulls when they cannot take care of themselves? The process of preparing the bulls before the event has to be stopped. People pierce the animal with very sharp objects, pour irritants on the bull’s eyes, bite and twist its tail to make them surrender. Bulls are fed liquor and have chili powder thrown into their eyes before running. This is inhuman behaviours and should be stopped immediately. However, politicians doesn’t care about the atrocities on animals, they just see vote bank. We need to spread more and more awareness against such cruel sports.
