Black mark against animal welfare: Activists

Animal welfare organisations said that Tamil Nadu is returning o bullock cart days and termed the day "a black mark against animal welfare." Within moments after the news broke, Peta India announced that it would approach the Supreme Court seeking justice in the issue.

"We are disturbed by the news of reviving Jallikattu and AWBI will fight jallikattu legally at all costs", said Chinni Krishna, vice chairman. He said still there were legal provisions protecting animal welfare. Our legal advisors are working on the strategies and AWBI will continue to monitor the cruelty and will take on in case of violations under Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Act, he said.

In a statement, Peta said the organisation has documented cruelty against bulls, where the animals were terrified, punched, jumped and dragged to the ground. During races, bulls are often hit with nail-studded sticks. There are 1,100 human injuries and 17 deaths, including that of a child, from 2010 to 2014 as a result of jallikattu-type of events in the country, Peta said.

"Lifting the protection against cruelty to bulls is a black mark on our nation. The word culture and tradition are misused for human advantage. The worst affected due to human greed are animals like sheep, cow, bulls and camels", said Madras SPCA honorary secretary Natanarajan.

"Tamil Nadu will now be considered archaic because people really want a true sport not chasing bulls from behind its legs. Movies show jallikattu as a one to one event, but the truth is that about 50 youngsters tackle one animal and they do not hold the bull by its horns. They only hold the hump of the running animal for some metres", explained F. M. Jerold, an expert in animal behaviour.

The youngsters are misguided by jallikattu organisers, he said.