By IANS
New Delhi : The Supreme Curt Friday threw out the Tamil Nadu government plea to allow the traditional Jallikkattu, saying that the bullfight in which the animals are tortured and made to run amok represented “severe cruelty”.
A bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan dismissed the Tamil Nadu government plea and said that torturing bulls to provoke them into fighting was also “against the humanity”.
The bench observed that the sport, which takes place just after the harvest festival of Pongal, causes “severe injury to men” trying to tame the bulls and those watching.
The court, however, allowed the bull race and bullock-cart race on the occasion.
On July 27, the Supreme Court suspended a Madras High Court ruling that allowed the age-old practice and said that it was merely a form of traditional sport and attracted foreign tourists. The high court set aside a single judge bench order of its Madurai bench.
It had done so on a petition by the Animal Welfare Board of India challenging the high court order.
Senior advocate K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the animal rights body, opposed the Tamil Nadu government’s plea to lift the ban and argued that the bulls were subjected to enormous cruelty before and during the competition.
He said the animals were made to drink arrack and had chilli powder sprinkled in their eyes to make them go berserk.
He said the bull owners left the animals loose in a boisterous crowd and some people jump over their humps while others try to catch them by their horns or pull their tails.
This practice often leads to serious injuries and even deaths amongst the spectators.