PETA urges Prez not to pass any ordinance allowing Jallikattu

A day after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa asked the Centre to promulgate an ordinance to allow Jallikattu, animal rights groups PETA India today shot off a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee urging him not to pass any such ordinance so that bulls remain protected.
On a day when the Supreme Court refused to vacate its order staying the Centre's notification lifting ban on the controversial bull-taming sport Jallikattu, PETA India said that it was "relieved" that bulls will continue to remain protected for now.
"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.

Jayalalithaa in her letter to Modi had yesterday 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."
The letter also referred to the Supreme Court refusal today to vacate its order staying the Centre's notification lifting ban on Jallikattu as also observations of the apex court before staying the notification.

"We would like to point out that any such ordinance will be unconstitutional as it ultra vires of the Constitution of India and will be an inappropriate use of power usurping law-making powers of the legislature.

"Article 51A(g) in the Constitution of India, 1949 makes it the mandate for every Indian citizen 'to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures'. Our tradition and culture is, therefore, clearly one of compassion, not cruelty," the animal rights body wrote in the letter.
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The Supreme Court had yesterday stayed the Centre's notification lifting ban on the controversial sport as an interim measure. The court had rejected the plea of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Tamil Nadu that Jallikattu is part of the ancient tradition and culture and should not be stopped as there were enough safeguards provided in the January 7 notification.

The letter to the President also stated in details about PETA India's complaint to Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) after a public statement was made Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, promising to allow Jallikattu. It also stated the advise given by AWBI to the ministry not to overturn the Supreme Court order.
"Only a small, pitiful man derives pleasure from hurting those more vulnerable than him, whether the victims are animals, children, or women. Bullies are cowards who pick on those who can't defend themselves and escape. We are relieved that bulls will continue to remain protected from Jallikattu and bull race abuse, for now," PETA India CEO Poorva Joshipura said.

PETA said that when Jallikattu was permitted in the past under regulations, hundreds of human participants were injured each year and many were killed.
Between just 2010 and 2014, approximately 1,100 injuries to humans were reported by the media as a result of cruel and dangerous Jallikattu-type events, and 17 people died -- including a child, it said.
It has documented in AWBI-authorised inspections that during Jallikattu events, terrified bulls are often deliberately disoriented by being given substances like alcohol, have their tails twisted and bitten, are stabbed and jabbed by sickles, spears, knives or sticks and are punched, jumped on and dragged to the ground.