Jallikattu – Animal Abuse or Culture?
- Ritika Gupta
- July 5, 2020
Content :
Article 48A of the Constitution of India, 1949 lay out that the State shall attempt to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forests and wild life of the country. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 proffers protection against the cruelty and ill-treatment to the animals. The ancient culture and heritage did not recommend or support the conduct of Jallikattu or bullock cart races in a cruel and crude manner. In the Southern Indian ‘State of Tamil Nadu’, the traditional Jallikattu sport involves young men fighting against bulls is described as one of the ancient living sports in the modern era. Based on petitions by animal rights groups, the Apex Court of India banned the traditional sport of Jallikattu in 2014 on the grounds of animal cruelty. In January 2017, fuss and demonstrations were held across Tamil Nadu challenging the 2014 Supreme Court (SC) ban on a rural traditional sport—Jallikattu. Alongside the movement, a nationwide debate raged in electronic and print media (both in English and Tamil) on the history, politics and ethics of Jallikattu. This debate induced widespread public participation, with academics, political figures, writers, animal rights activists, and cultural figures, including members of the Tamil film industry, voicing their opinions. The Jallikattu debate in 2017 became the fulcrum of question on culture, folk traditions, modernity, regional identity, caste, gender, law, the environment, animal rights and so on. The researcher in this research paper highlighted the supreme court verdict and how youth is the one who supports Jallikattu.
