The Centre on Friday allowed the conduct of jallikattu in Tamil Nadu . In 2011 Ministry of Environment banned jallikattu by a notification .Now The Centre altered the notification to allow Jallikattu.
The Supreme Court had in May 2014 upheld a 2011 notification by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to include bulls in the category of animals that shall not be used as performing animals, meaning that bulls could not be exhibited or trained as performing animals for Jallikattu events.But The Tamil Nadu government had urged the Centre to introduce a bill to amend laws for its conduct.
The present notification by the Ministry of Environment and Forests clears the ground for Jallikattu events by making an exception for these and some other traditional bull-related events in other parts of India.
Superseding the 2011 notification, the present one, while underlining that bulls shall not be exhibited or trained as performing animals, says: “provided that bulls may continue to be exhibited or trained as a performing animal, at events such as Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and bullock cart races in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Gujarat in the manner by the customs of any community or practiced traditionally under the customs or a part of culture…”
Sources in the Animal Welfare Board of India confirmed that they will be challenging the order immediately. “We are hoping to make a mention today itself before the court. We anticipated this. We are surprised that the Centre is ready to diminish the stature of a Supreme Court order so brazenly,” a top official said.
