CPI, PMK urge Centre to bring in amendments for jallikattu

With the Supreme Court rejecting Tamil Nadu government's plea to review its 2014 ban against jallikattu, CPI and PMK today urged the Centre to bring in legal amendments to ensure that the bull-taming sport is conducted in January, 2017 in the state.
CPI state secretary R Mutharasan said that in the history of Tamils, bulls were treated as a part of the family besides being worshipped and that "they are an integral part of the Tamil culture".
"Instead of banning it citing cruelty, Centre should bring in due legal arrangements to ensure the bulls are not ill-treated in any manner," he said in a statement.

The Tamil sentiments must be respected and it should be ensured that jallikattu was held during the Tamil month of Thai which coincides with January.
PMK founder S Ramadoss claimed that bulls were not forced to undergo any cruelty during the sport and that jallikattu was integral to Tamil culture for long.
"Only humans have suffered injuries but not bulls and there is no ground to the arguments by NGOs that the animals are fed with liquor or that chilly powder is strewn on their eyes. Further, jallikattu was being held since 2008 under Supreme Court supervision and therefore there is no chance of any cruelty to the bulls," he said.

The animals were reared like 'children', he said and urged the Centre to bring in necessary legal amendments in the ongoing Parliamentary session to hold the sport in January.