scorecardresearch
Friday, March 29, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeIndiaGovernanceAnimal welfare team to oversee Jallikattu told ‘a little bit of cruelty...

Animal welfare team to oversee Jallikattu told ‘a little bit of cruelty is alright’

Follow Us :
Text Size:

The traditional Tamil sport takes place this weekend, and the convener of the team responsible to ensure this has called for a ‘balanced approach’ to cruelty.

New Delhi: A year after the government and the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) fell out over the contentious traditional Tamil bull-taming sport of Jallikattu, the board – a statutory body advising the government of India – is now toeing the line.

So much so that the man entrusted with ensuring there is no cruelty meted out to the bulls is learnt to have said “a little bit of cruelty is alright”.

On the face of it, the AWBI came up with a set of guidelines last week to ensure that no cruelty is meted out to the bulls in the course of the event. But the convener of the team responsible to ensure this called for a “balanced approach” to the issue of cruelty.

S.K. Mittal, who works with one of the biggest gaushalas in Karnataka and has served as the national co-convener of the BJP’s cow development cell in the past, was appointed as the convener of the AWBI inspection team constituted by the government this week.

“Some mischievous persons of the AWBI had taken a stand against the government in the past under the influence of foreign lobbies. It is time to set that in order,” Mittal said.

Background to the case

In 2014, the Supreme Court had held that Jallikattu violated the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and banned the use of bulls in Jallikattu events in Tamil Nadu.

However, under political pressure, the government effectively overturned the ban in 2016 by stating that bulls can be used as “performing animals” in Jallikattu – leading the AWBI along with other animal rights groups to challenge the government notification.

What followed was a string of events, including the dissenting AWBI being revamped entirely.

‘A little bit of cruelty is alright’

The first meeting of the 10-member inspection team was called Thursday, and Mittal is learnt to have said “a little bit of cruelty is alright”.

A member of the team present at the meeting told ThePrint on the condition of anonymity: “The issue of animal rights is being marred by power politics.”

According to this person, members of the team would be required to carry out inspections at different venues through the course of the event. However, while Jallikattu is expected to take place at 250 venues across Tamil Nadu, the team to monitor cruelty consists of no more than 10 persons so far.

“We will be required to submit a report to the board after the event, but will not be paid for it, since we have been told that the board has no money,” the member said.

A ‘cow welfare’ board

While Mittal’s experience in animal welfare comes essentially from cow welfare, he is not the only one. Last year, the government had filled the board with eight new members, seven of whom have worked in the area of cow welfare.

While the board functioned without a full-time chairperson for nearly one year, S.P. Gupta who was appointed the chairperson last month, also runs a cow shelter in Mewat, Haryana.

“For most of the people on the board, gau raksha is their only concern. Bulls tortured in events like Jallikattu are not a concern,” the team member said.

According to activists, the animals used in Jallikattu are almost invariably assaulted, intoxicated and subjected to cruelty. Lime juice and chilli powder are often rubbed on their eyes and genitals to make them ferocious and run.

While the AWBI guidelines prohibit intoxication of bulls, they are only guidelines, activists point out.

“There is very little in the given guidelines that has not been tried before,” says Jayasimha Nuggehalli, a former member of the AWBI. In the Nagaraja judgment of 2014, the Supreme Court has already observed that in the midst of the frenzy of Jallikattu, it is not possible to ensure that such guidelines are followed.

Last year alone, 24 people, including 15 spectators were killed in Jallikattu events in Tamil Nadu.

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

2 COMMENTS

  1. No little bit cruelty ,,,,we want all cruelty n meat industries ban ban ban ban ban ,,they soul ,respect them ,,,,they r beauty of god ,,,,,,we want all slaugjter ban ,,,,human n animals birth control must necessary ,,,,, we want ban ban ban ban ban ban all cruelty ,,,,,,cruelty free india

  2. AWBI failed to regulate the law intriducing advisory under section 9 (k) for educational purpose, regulating under section 10 of the PCA Act, 1960 replacing with strong legislation.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular