The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, the 18th of May, upheld the Tamil Nadu legislation that allows Jallikattu, saying the bull taming sport is part of “cultural heritage.”
According to sources, a five judge Constitution bench comprising Justices K.M. Joseph, Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C.T. Ravikumar said in a unanimous verdict that the court is satisfied based on the materials put before it that Jallikittu is being practised in Tamil Nadu.
The Supreme Court, reviewing a petition said that the festival and the law did not violate the Indian Constitution and is allowed to conduct the festival. The court said, “When the legislature has declared that Jallikattu is part of the cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu state, the judiciary cannot take a different view.” Besides Tamil Nadu, the court also dismissed petitions challenging the constitutionality of the laws in Karnataka and Maharashtra which permitted bull-taming and bull-racing festivals in these states.
Jallikattu, the famous bull taming sport, also known as ‘Manju Virattu’ has been part of the Pongal celebrations of Tamil Nadu for ages. The villages specially breed the bulls for the event, where many villagers take part and celebrate the event.
Over the years, scores of people have been gored or trampled to death in the contests. Hundreds, including spectators, have been injured. Animal rights activists have also said the sport is cruel to animals but supporters have called it an important part of their cultural heritage. They also say the animals were well looked after and the sport ensured the preservation of native bulls in the region.
The sport celebrated widely in Tamil Nadu was banned by the Madras High Court in Tamil Nadu in 2006 after a young spectator attacked by a bull died. It was then banned by the Supreme Court in 2014 on grounds of animal cruelty.
However, in 2017, the Tamil Nadu Government temporarily lifted the ban in 2017 after the state was rocked by protests in support of the sport. Furthermore, the ban was removed and the State Government amended the law to allow the sport to continue being practiced. The amendment was however challenged in court by social groups, calling Jallikattu event illegal, which was recently heard by the Apex Court.
However, the court during the hearings said the Tamil Nadu Government called Jallikattu “not merely an act of entertainment or amusement but an event with great historic, cultural and religious value,” and allowed its conduct.
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