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Jallikatu Protest in Chennai- In Retrospect and Prospects


Jallikattu also known "eru thazhuvuthal" and "Manju virattu" is the famous festival in Tamil Nadu state in India. Jallikattu is a ancient sports that that is played in Tamil Nadu as part of Pongal festival celebration on Mattu Pongal day.

In Jallikattu the Bull is released into crowd of people and many human participant attempts to grab to bull with both arms and hang on it while at bull attempts to escape. The participant try to bring bull stop and remove flags on the bull horns.

According the History of Tamilnadu, jallikattu has been known to be practiced during Tamil Nadu classical period (400- 100 BC). A seal from the Indus valley civilization depicting the Practice is presented. It is available in national museum New Delhi

Now concern issue is regarding for ban jallikattu on the base on animal crucial behavior. Animal welfare organization, Federation of Indian animal protection organizations (FIAPO) and PETA have protested against this celebration in Tamilnadu. Animal welfare said in this celebration, the people try to prodding the bull, prodding with sharp sticks, bending of the tail which can fracture, biting the bull tail. Bull being forced to drink to sharab, chill peppers rubbed in their eyes.

The animal welfare board has registered the case in Supreme Court for ban jallikattu because of cruelty to animal. It is danger game to participate people and public also. In 010 Supreme Court permitted the government of Tamilnadu to allow jallikattu for five month. After that state government ordered that 2 lakh be deposited by the organizer in case of accident and injury and provided full treatment for bull if get injured. It practices continued to held under Tamil Nadu regulation of Jallikattu Act 2009. The ban should in penalties for cruelty to animal under the prevent cruelty to animal act 1960.

In 2016 Supreme Court issued a stay on this order, upholding the ban, after filed petition by animal welfare board of India and PETA. World youth organization (WYO) protested at chennai against the stay on the order overturning ban on conducting Jallikattu in Tamilnadu and also demanded to ban PETA.

In 2017 January, several hundreds of protesters conducted rallies at Chennai marina opposing the ban of jallikattu. Many student rallies in various towns of Tamil Nadu and numerous Jallikattu events held across Tamilnadu in protest and ban. Hundreds of participants were detained by the police.

Due to these protest, 21 Jan 2017 governor of Tamilnadu issued a new ordinance that authorized the continuance of Jallikattu events. Legislature passed, with accession of PM. Exempting jallikattu from prevention of cruelty of animal act 1960.

Whatever happened regarding Jallikattu is past history now state government has Pongal festival gift to the people of Tamil Nadu. This kind of action by the state government shows its dedication and support to the people of Tamil Nadu. Nobody wants to go back to retrospect in this matter and the government also do not want to anger the Tamil Nadu public anymore with such sensitive issue. Jallikattu is the identity of the celebration of the harvest festival Pongal in Tamil Nadu.

- Sanyog varshney

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