The Centre has issued a notification to allow the banned bull taming sport Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu this year by altering a Ministry of Environment notification in 2011. In effect, the latest notification from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change dated January 7 exempted the sport from performances for which the bulls should not be used.
It was Union Minister PonRadhakrishnan who tweeted the news on Friday morning after Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar informed him. Radhakrishnan, who is from Tamil Nadu has also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for facilitating the bull taming sport ahead of Pongal.
The notification said the “event shall take place in any District where it is being traditionally held annually, at such place explicitly permitted by the district Collector or the district Magistrate; bullock cart race shall be organised on a proper track, which shall not exceed two kilometres. In case of Jallikattu, the moment the bull leaves the enclosure, it shall be tamed within a radial distance of 15 metre.”
Leading Tamil politicians including state Congress Chief EVKS Elangovan, MDMK leader Vaiko and PMK leader S Ramadoss have welcomed the move while reminding the centre to ensure the legal safety of the notification.
Reacting to the notification, Don Williams of Blue Cross, leading animal welfare organisation said the ban has not been lifted by the Supreme Court of India but only by the politicians. “It seems now the animals have to start speaking for themselves. Learnt judges of the highest court of the country had banned it in the interest of both humans and animals. Politicians have lifted the ban now. People will realise which was the intelligent decision. Animal Welfare Board of India and other organisations will definitely challenge this in the court,” he said.
