Jallikattu men prepare for war

Chennai: Upset over the recent Supreme Court ban on jallikattu, rekla and other animal-related sports, people of Palamedu and Alanganallur in Madurai district have raised the banner of revolt and pledged resolve to petition the apex court seeking the review of the ban.

Alanganallur observed total bandh on Saturday while people of Palamedu shut down businesses the previous day. “We are protesting by observing this one-day bandh. We are preparing our review petitions for filing in the SC. The ban is a misinformed decision inspired by so-called animal rights activists,” president P. Rajasekaran of Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Peravai in Madurai, told DC.

“They are alleging that we ill-treat the bulls during the jallikattu. Nothing can be farther from truth as we treat our bulls like our own children. They are given nutritious food and proper veterinary attention. There is constant supervision of the entire process of preparing the bulls and conducting the jallikattu, as per the guidelines prescribed by the Supreme Court in an earlier case. The state government too had laid down rules, which we strictly follow,” Mr Rajasekaran said.

“They (animal rights activists) say we torture and torment the bulls. The truth is that the bull-tamer is required to handle the animal within a stretch of 50 feet in the jallikattu arena. What torture can the animal go through in just this short distance?” asked the jallikattu leader, pointing out that the sport of taming the bulls “is not just an ancient game of valour but is also practised in several countries, including the U.S., Spain, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico, Canada, South Africa, Germany, Italy and Australia.”

Alanganallur panchayat leader ‘Geetha’ Balaji argued that Jallikattu was “a traditional sport of valour for us Tamils” and there was huge support among the people, political parties and social organisations in TN for conducting it without any interruptions.

The SC had in 2010 ordered that jallikattu could be held with stringent regulations and the state government scrupulously enforced them, such as safe barricades for the spectators, veterinarian supervision of the bulls, payment of Rs 2 lakh as deposit for each bull and stationing of ambulances at the venues. The government had notified 175 places for holding jallikattu in safe manner, he said.

“With so many restrictions already in place, where is the need for the ban now? We will oppose it. Everyone in TN supports us in our struggle for our traditional rights,” said Mr Rajasekaran.