With demands galore in the state for holding the bull-taming sport of 'Jallikattu' coinciding with 'Pongal' harvest festival, Tamil Nadu
government today assured steps for conducting the popular event,
including asking Centre to remove bulls from a specific list of animals
to facilitate the same. Chief Minister O Panneerselvam
said steps have been taken to expedite hearing on a review petition
filed by the state government against a Supreme Court order of banning
'Jallikattu.'
In a detailed statement, Panneerselvam recalled the legal battle between Jallikattu enthusiasts and animal welfare activists over holding the sport in the past, which was allowed by the High Court with restrictions, before Supreme Court completely banned it in May last year. The government had filed a review petition which is pending before the apex court and it will now file a petition seeking speedy disposal of the same, he said.
Incidentally, the Animal Welfare division of the Union Environment Ministry under the UPA government in 2011 had issued a notification banning the use of bulls as performing animals under Section 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Chief Minister said.
Panneerselvam said on January seven this year, the state government officials had met their Union Environment Ministry counterparts in Delhi and sought for removal of bulls from the aforesaid Act. The government had also sought changes to the 1960 Act in order to hold Jallikattu without any hurdles, he said.
"The state government officials will visit Delhi once again on January 12 to seek removing bulls from the list. I hope the Central government will issue a notification (in this regard) immediately. If so, it will help the state government issue a notification for holding Jallikattu," without affecting the Supreme Court verdict, he said.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday lifted the ban on Kambala sport (Buffalo Race) in Dakshina Kannada District.
According to the HC, the Kambala sport needs to be held in the presence of Tehsildar and the police inspector of the jurisdiction.
The Karnataka HC also gave instructions to the authorities to prevent all kinds of cruelty meted out to the animals.
Earlier, the Kambala sport was banned in mid-November by the district administration of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada after the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) pressed for it.
The HC had ordered the state government to express its point of view regarding the sport.
The Assistant Solicitor General representing the Central government stated that cruelty to buffaloes in Kambala sport was lesser when compared to the torture meted out to bulls in Jallikattu that was observed in Tamil Nadu.
Following these arguments, the HC had stated that the degree of cruelty to buffaloes was less in Kambala sport.
Kambala is a traditional sport in which pairs of buffaloes are made to run one after the other in paddy fields filled with slush.
The winning pair is showered with rewards. It's a form of entertainment for the rural people. The sport is held annually between the period of November-March.
In a detailed statement, Panneerselvam recalled the legal battle between Jallikattu enthusiasts and animal welfare activists over holding the sport in the past, which was allowed by the High Court with restrictions, before Supreme Court completely banned it in May last year. The government had filed a review petition which is pending before the apex court and it will now file a petition seeking speedy disposal of the same, he said.
Incidentally, the Animal Welfare division of the Union Environment Ministry under the UPA government in 2011 had issued a notification banning the use of bulls as performing animals under Section 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Chief Minister said.
Panneerselvam said on January seven this year, the state government officials had met their Union Environment Ministry counterparts in Delhi and sought for removal of bulls from the aforesaid Act. The government had also sought changes to the 1960 Act in order to hold Jallikattu without any hurdles, he said.
"The state government officials will visit Delhi once again on January 12 to seek removing bulls from the list. I hope the Central government will issue a notification (in this regard) immediately. If so, it will help the state government issue a notification for holding Jallikattu," without affecting the Supreme Court verdict, he said.
According to the HC, the Kambala sport needs to be held in the presence of Tehsildar and the police inspector of the jurisdiction.
The Karnataka HC also gave instructions to the authorities to prevent all kinds of cruelty meted out to the animals.
Earlier, the Kambala sport was banned in mid-November by the district administration of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada after the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) pressed for it.
The HC had ordered the state government to express its point of view regarding the sport.
The Assistant Solicitor General representing the Central government stated that cruelty to buffaloes in Kambala sport was lesser when compared to the torture meted out to bulls in Jallikattu that was observed in Tamil Nadu.
Following these arguments, the HC had stated that the degree of cruelty to buffaloes was less in Kambala sport.
Kambala is a traditional sport in which pairs of buffaloes are made to run one after the other in paddy fields filled with slush.
The winning pair is showered with rewards. It's a form of entertainment for the rural people. The sport is held annually between the period of November-March.
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