Around 200 people in Avaniapuram — near Madurai city — held agitations on Friday demanding permission for staging of the bull-taming sport Jallikattu there. The sport was scheduled to be held there on Pongal.
The Supreme Court on Thursday had dismissed a petition asking to allow the bull-taming sport after upholding the 2014 ban on Wednesday. The petitioners had said it was part of Tamil Nadu's culture and tradition. The apex court also upheld a ban on bullock cart-racing in Maharashtra.
The 200-odd protestors in Avaniapuram claimed this was a black Pongal and that they had been cheated, in response to the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the ban.
The Centre had permitted Jallikattu in a 7 January notification, making exemptions for Tamil Nadu. It had also permitted bullock cart-racing in some other states. The traditional events were reportedly permitted as they were part of culture and only after inspection by various authorities, said the notification. However, the Supreme Court maintained they were cruel towards animals.
The apex court bench consisting of Justices Dipak Misra and NV Ramana, which on Thursday was hearing the petition against it's Wednesday verdict, said it was "unimpressed" by the submission, reported IndiaToday.
It remains to be seen if the Centre now promulgates an ordinance on Jallikattu, like Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had asked.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has already written to President Pranab Mukherjee to not promulgate an ordinance allowing the sport in the southern state.
"After learning from various reliable news reports that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to disseminate an ordinanace allowing Jallikattu, PETA India fired off a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee urging him not to pass any such ordinance so that bulls can remain protected," Press Trust of India quoted PETA India as saying in a statement.
