Supreme Court foils Congress plan, upholds validity of Jallikattu; Know how Congress wanted to ban a part of the cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu

On the 11th of July 2011, the former Environmental Minister of the UPA government, Jairam Ramesh in response to pleas made by a large number of animal activists across the country, had taken the initiative to ban the use of bulls in Jallikattu, a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu during Pongal celebrations.

NewsBharati    18-May-2023 15:58:46 PM
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Saying that the 'Jallikattu is a cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu', the Supreme Court on Thursday gave a major blow to the Congress and dismissed a batch of petitions that challenged the constitutionality of the law that permitted Jallikattu.
 
While pronouncing the judgement, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph, Justice Ajay Rastogi, Justice Aniruddha Bose, Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice CT Ravikumar upheld the validity of Jallikattu, also known as "Eruthazhuvuthal".

JaliKattu
 
The five-judge bench observed, "We are satisfied with materials that Jallikattu has been going in Tamil Nadu for the last century. Whether this as part of an integral part of Tamil culture requires greater detail, which exercises the Judiciary cannot undertake. We do not accept the view of Nagaraja that Jallikattu is not a part of the cultural heritage of the state of Tamil Nadu. We do not think that there was sufficient material for the Court to come to that conclusion."
 
Let's Checkout the timeline that how the Congress government was trying to end the Tamil Nadu culture.
 
2006: Madras High Court unilaterallyJallikattu while hearing an unrelated wilt petition seeking permission to conduct rekla (bullock cart) race.
 
2009: The Tamil Nadu government passed Regulation of Jallikattu Act [TNRJA] giving conditional permission for holding Jallikattu between January and May of any year.
 
November 2010: The Supreme Court also gave conditional permission to Jallikattu under the provisions of TNRJA, for a period of five months starting 15 January of any year.
 
 
 
2011 : On the 11th of July 2011, the former Environmental Minister of the UPA government, Jairam Ramesh in response to pleas made by a large number of animal activists across the country, had taken the initiative to ban the use of bulls in Jallikattu, a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu during Pongal celebrations. As per the reports, he issued a notification banning the use of bulls as performing animals was issued under Section 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
 
 
7 May 2014: The Supreme Court struck down the TNRJA, banning the sport altogether, when UPA was still in power.
 
January 2016: The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change under Modi government amended the 2011 notification, allowing Jallikattu and bullock cart races across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat with specific conditions.
 
July 2016: The Supreme Court, on a petition filed by Animal Welfare Board and PETA represented by Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Congress spokesperson, overturned the Modi government's decision and once again banned Jallikattu.
 
May 2016: The Congress party in its manifesto for Tamil Nadu elections in 2016, promised to ban Jallikattu if voted to power.
 
In December 2022, appearing in the case on behalf of the Central government in support of Jallikattu, the Solicitor General, Thiru Tushar Mehta avl said that the presidential assent to the ordinance was backed with necessary documents & every single aspect of the case was presented.