Supreme Court Upholds Jallikattu Sport in TN, Maharashtra, Karnataka; calls it “part of cultural heritage”

Jallikattu Supreme Court ruling: The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld Jallikattu’s practice in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Supreme Court declared that the state laws governing the sport apply. In addition, state governments have been ordered to ensure the safety and welfare of animals within the law.

The Supreme Court dismissed all pleas challenging the validity of state laws allowing for the Jallikattu festival and ox cart races. The five-judge Constitutional Court, led by Justice KM Joseph, said the sport is “part of Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage”.

“The heritage is established by texts and evidence, the court cannot intervene in the matter,” the chief justice of the court was quoted as saying by India Today.

The Supreme Court heard a number of petitions, including one by animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) challenging the state law allowing the sport of bull taming in Tamil Nadu.

The Supreme Court previously said those petitions would need to be decided by a larger body because they raised substantive issues of interpretation of the constitution. The jury said that despite the cruelty involved in the sport of bull taming, it could not be called a blood sport because no guns were involved.

The PTI news agency quoted the bank as saying: “Just because there is death doesn’t mean it’s a blood sport. I’m not suggesting that people who attend and climb the bulls go there to draw blood.” In this case, humans will not kill the animal. Blood can be a minor matter.”

The Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that bulls may not be used as performance animals for Jallikattu or Eruthazhuvuthal events, nor for ox carts. The Supreme Court had banned the use of animals for these purposes across the country.

A year later, the Supreme Court denied the Tamil Nadu government’s request to reverse the 2014 verdict. The Supreme Court said the practice constituted animal cruelty.

A jury composed of former CJI Dipak Misra and judge Rohinton Fali Nariman rejected the state government’s argument that the centuries-old tradition had a religious basis. Later, the Union Ministry of Environment issued an order allowing the sport of Jallikattu, but it was suspended by the Supreme Court despite guidelines regulating the sport.

Jallikattu is a traditional sport in Tamil Nadu in which a bull like the Pulikulam or Kangayam breed is released into a crowd. The contestants try to grab the hump on the bull’s back with both arms.

(With agency entries)

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