Background

2008: Supreme Court banned the practice but soon reversed the order saying it can
be continued under certain regulations

2009: Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act

2011: Ministry of Environment and Forestry issued a notification bringing bulls under
the category of non-performing animals. However the sport was allowed in Tamil
Nadu under the above act.

2014: Supreme Court banned the sport. It also asked the government to bring bulls
under the ambit of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

2016: MoEF issued a notification allowing Jallikattu under certain circumstances in

January.
A few days later Supreme Court put a stay on the notification following a
petition by the Animal Welfare Board of India.

In November, Supreme Court rejected a petition by TN government to review the

2014 order.

Social:

Jallikattu reflects ancient tradition and local culture.

Jallikattu has been around for 400 years. And it is claimed that bull fighting has
been practiced since 4th century BC in some areas of Tamil Nadu. However it was not
called Jallikattu at that time.
A seal from the Indus Valley Civilization is preserved in the National museum, New
Delhi. This seal depicts bull fighting and establishes that bull fighting was performed
in India 4000 years ago.

Under the convention on biological diversity and heritage status practices

worldwide, it is customary that these ancient traditional practices are left as they
are but with rules to organize and regulate them.

Economical:

Banning Jallikattu affects livelihood of livestock keepers. The owners spend a

considerable amount on their upkeep.

Native cattle species might see a decline because the usefulness of species is
already threatened due to increasing use of tractors and mechanized agricultural
practices.

Political:
In the post-Jayalalithaa era, Jallikattu is being used as a tool by political parties to
show their might.

A year ago, when Jayalalithaa was alive, a similar demand for allowing Jallikattu by
promulgating an ordinance was made, but there were no massive protests.

The difference this year is that Tamil Nadu has a new chief minister in O
Pannerselvam and MK Stalin is the new face of the opposition DMK, both keen to
ride the bull into the peoples hearts. They have come together in the name of Tamil
pride and tradition.

The government at the centre which swears by its commitment to protect the cows-
in the name of religion seeks to allow the torture of bulls in the name of tradition.
Politics as usual!

Legal:

Supreme Court has taken a firm stand that Jallikattu inflicts cruelty on the
participating bulls.

And the preferred executive solution is: not banning, but regulating it better.

However, there has been documented evidence that the rules laid out by Tamil
Nadu regulation of Jallikattu act such as mandatory presence of veterinarians,
barricades, no kicking, injuring, pulling or biting the tail etc. have been flouted
blatantly.
PETA has repeatedly released video evidence of how the bulls are provoked by
piercing sticks, putting red chilly in their eyes right before the event starts. The bulls
are poorly fed so that they can be easily tamed.
Between 2008 and 2014, the AWBI recorded the death of three bulls in Jallikattu
events with suspicion of number to be higher on account of after-race deaths. The
races also resulted in death of 43 and grievous injuries to about 300 people,
according to AWBI.

Ethical:

Mahatma Gandhi once said: The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can
be judged by the way its animals are treated.

In its pristine form, Jallikattu is not designed to harm the bulls.

Its rules are simple. A trained bull enters into the arena and participants try to hold
onto its hump. They are not allowed to hold it by its neck or horns. Usually, only one
participant is allowed to hold onto the bull at a time. The participant who holds onto
the hump till the finish line is declared the winner.
Jallikattu does not involve any use of sticks, ropes or any other tools to cause harm
to the bull.
So Jallikattu in itself is not unethical but the way this tradition has evolved from a
simple ceremony to select the bridegroom to the use of bulls for amusement while
not caring about the pain or discomfort it might inflict upon the animal makes it
skew towards unethical side.

And most importantly, bulls dont speak our language and there is no way of ever
knowing the pain and trauma they go through.