Events & Issues
New Delhi, 20 January 2016
Ban on Jallikattu
TOWARDS HUMANISING
SPORTS
By S
Saraswathi
(Former Director,
ICSSR, New Delhi)
The Supreme Court’s ban on holding Jallikattu, a bull-taming
sport, is causing grievous disappointment and anger to some very vocal sections
of people of Tamil Nadu who were preparing to organize the sport considered by
them as an indispensable part of Pongal festival. In fact, there are reports of
some having defied the ban in a few villages, with authorities looking the
other way.
Interestingly, a rare unity is being witnessed today among
principal political parties in the State – the AIADMK, DMK, BJP, PMK, DMDK, Nam
Tamilar and many other small parties – in favour of reviving this rural sport
in danger of extinction. There is a demand that the government issue an
Ordinance to bypass the Court stay, which is a big blow to the Union Ministry
of Environment and Forests (MoEF), which had lifted the ban on this sport
imposed by the Supreme Court in 2014.
The recent stay was granted on a petition filed by the
Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), the Federation of Indian Animal
Protection Organizations (FIAPO), People for Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA), and Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) against the notification of
the Ministry removing bulls from the list of performing animals under the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act. It was but reiteration of the stand
taken by the Supreme Court in 2014 to affirm the supremacy of the
Constitutional principle enshrined in Article 51A (g) and (h), and to protect
the rights and welfare of animals.
Jallikattu is an age-old traditional bull-taming sport event
common in villages in Tamil Nadu especially in the southern districts. Its
history is traced with pride to medieval kingdoms and even to ancient period to
emphasize its antiquity and its status as a cultural heritage. From olden days,
it is a game played between men and bulls to bring the latter under control.
The combat displays courage and strength of men and the game itself is dubbed
as “game of valour of Tamilians”.
The spirit of the game has been sustained over centuries and
stories of women opting to marry the winners are heard. Even in some recent
films in which top stars have acted, scenes of jallikattu have been included to
highlight the heroism of the hero.
The sport has almost become an industry in which bull owners
have a high stake. Special and rare breeds of bulls are raised and trained to
make the sport more and more exciting. Prizes given to the winners have also
increased manifold and are in the form of cash and kind and include gold coins,
modern gadgets, and household articles.
Following the Supreme Court’s ban order on jallikattu, a
Division bench of the Kerala High Court declared that this would be applicable
to certain games like Kannupootu, Kaalapootu, and Maramadi played in the State
with animal participants. So also, cock fight has been prohibited.
According to the information from the Jallikattu Peravai,
the sport is held in 175 villages across 17 districts as part of Pongal festivities,
and is also an “irreplaceable part of temple festivals and that is why the ban
has affected the sentiments of people”. Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated
all over Tamil Nadu with great enthusiasm by people of all castes.
It is common knowledge that bulls participating in
jallikattu are made to undergo severe training and special rearing. But, animal
rights groups complain that bulls are forced to drink alcohol, and tortured to
make them aggressive and ferocious. First hand reports mention unspeakable
forms of cruelty inflicted on these animals though supporters of the sport deny
all allegations. But, the truth remains that the more vigorous the combat
meaning the more violent the bulls, the greater is the excitement in the game.
Rights activists have reason to condemn this game as one not
exhibiting ‘valour” in the proper sense of the term, but a crude combat between
an animal and men resembling the cruel games played in the ancient Roman
empire. Other opponents include the Communist parties and a section of the
Congress. Former Prime Minister of the UPA government extended support to the
campaign against bull-fighting, but not to jallikattu. Former Union Environment
minister described this sport as a “barbaric practice” and termed government
notification as a “complete contempt of the order of the Supreme Court”. The
TNCC President tries to distinguish jallikattu from bull-fighting to push the
point that the game involves no necessary cruelty to the animal.
A committee constituted by the Union government to revise
green laws has recommended that traditional faiths and practices may be allowed
thus giving green signal to the game which has not impressed the Court.
Farmers, bull-tamers and active participants from Tamil Nadu and neighbouring
States have thus intensified their protest against the ban obviously with the
hope of reviving the game at least with severe regulations in near future if
not in this Pongal season.
Strict regulations and vigilance imposed in 2007 over
jallikattu events and enacted as a law in 2009 are said to have eliminated
ill-treatment of animals. But, this argument is rejected by anti-jallikattu
groups. The game, by its very structure and conduct, brings out the “animal
spirit” not only in players and bull owners, but also in the spectators
watching and encouraging the combatants.
In the San Fermin festival played in Spain, which is
often cited for comparison, either the man or the bull would die in the game.
The goal in jallikattu is taming of the bull and death and injuries are caused
not intentionally but incidentally.
May be, jallikattu enthusiasts may take offence at any
attempt to compare the game with gladiators or to the story of Androcles and
the Lion. But, we are referring to the common element of uncivilized sport
involving cruelty mistaken as “valour”. As in the case of many old traditions
and practices given up as repugnant to modern standards, people should
voluntarily come forward to give up inhuman feudal way of life and cultivate
humane games and sports.
To stick to jallikattu as if it is a primary aspect of Tamil
culture and traditions is a kind of superstition. In a way, it is degrading the
refinement of Tamil cultural traditions. It is high time that the Indian
society should learn to move with the times. No progress and no reforms are
possible unless we are prepared to welcome changes. Nor is the argument that
urban artificiality is being forced on rural culture is acceptable. Our
endeavour is to bridge rural-urban gap in all spheres in every sense.
In the case of jallikattu, an interesting factor is broad
consensus among political parties (with few exceptions) on revoking the ban,
which again is guided by a mistaken notion of popular demand. Majority of the people of Tamil Nadu have
watched this game only on the screen.
Political, social, and religious leaders must come forward
and unite to promote legal rights and welfare concepts. They have to act as
leaders in the matter of reforms and not as followers of outmoded traditions in
pursuit of popularity to collect votes. Leaders must have the courage to take
even unpopular decisions and the ability to convince the people. They must
grasp the ban on jallikattu as a step towards humanizing sports – a cause worth
pursuing. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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