Last-gasp attempts to hold the traditional bull-taming sport of Jallikattu during pongal festivities on Wednesday ended in failure, with the Supreme Court refusing to vacate its order staying lifting of a ban on the sport by the Centre, provoking intensified protests in Tamil Nadu.
As the Supreme Court refused to vacate its order staying the Centre's notification lifting the ban on the popular but controversial sport, the animal rights group People for Ethical Treatment of Animals India shot off a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee, urging him not to pass any such ordinance so bulls can be protected.
The PETA's move came a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to promulgate an ordinance allowing holding of Jallikattu, a 3,000-year-old sport, which has become a hot political issue in an election year.
"We are not inclined to vacate the stay," a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and N V Ramana said after hearing the urgently moved pleas of some Tamil Nadu residents and a group called Compassion Unlimited Plus Action.
The bench said it was "unimpressed" with the arguments that Jallikattu should be allowed under the supervision of the court by appointing court commissioners who could submit reports on the event and the claim that it was a socio-religious harvest festival and not entertainment.
It said the apex court's two-judge bench in its judgement in 2014 had discussed various facets of the age-old sport and expressed its opinion that bulls cannot be subjected to cruelty.
"The aforesaid submission leaves us unimpressed, for the simon-pure (genuine) reason (that) the two-Judge bench of this Court, as it appears, had discussed many facets with regard to Jallikattu and expressed its opinion. The arrangements made on the basis of the notification would not warrant alteration of our order and, therefore, we are not inclined to vacate the order of stay," the bench said.
The apex court remained unimpressed with the contention that Jallikattu was not a fight between bulls and humans but a game where the participants are required to embrace the running bulls by hanging on to their hump as long as possible and that the men are unarmed.
With the Supreme Court declining to vacate its stay on the Centre's notification, protests intensified across Tamil Nadu.
Protests were held in several cities and towns, including Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukottai and Salem.
In Chennai, activists of the 'May 17 Movement' and 'Tamilar Munnetra Padai' staged demonstrations seeking measures by the Centre to facilitate Jallikattu.
In Tiruchirappalli district, a man attempted to set himself ablaze but police overpowered and removed him from the spot.
Organisers and supporters of the bull taming sport also blocked roads and organisers and participants went on a fast in Alanganallur and Palamdedu in Madurai, police said.
Many men tonsured their heads in Madurai as a mark of protest and black flags were hoisted in several places.
"An ordinance cannot be brought now at this stage when the case continues to be in court. However, the state government can do it and if that is done, we will support it," Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters at Mamallapuram near Chennai on the sidelines of a function.
However, Union Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan told reporters at Cuddalore that appropriate measures were being considered to facilitate conduct of the sport.
PMK chief Ramadoss said "people's expectations on (conducting) Jallikattu should not be banned."
With Jayalalithaa making a pitch for promulgating an ordinance to allow conduct of Jallikattu, PETA petitioned the President not to take such a course so the bulls are protected.
"After learning from various reliable news reports that TN CM J Jayalalitha 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," a PETA India statement said in Delhi.
Jayalalithaa in her letter to Modi had on Tuesday said, "Considering the urgency of the issue, I strongly reiterate my earlier request to promulgate an ordinance forthwith to enable the conduct of Jallikattu. On behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, I urge you to take immediate action in this regard."
The PETA India letter said, "We urge you (President) not to pass any ordinance allowing bull races, Jallikattu, bull fights or any other similar events or to allow the use of bulls as performing animals again under any pretext."
