KOCHI: The latest developments with regard to conduct ‘Jallikattu,’ the traditional bull-taming sport in Tamil Nadu, has come as a shock for animal rights activists, who have been demanding a ban on elephant parading in temple festivals here.
Meanwhile, jumbo owners and festival organisers wasted no time in welcoming the decision to promulgate the ordinance favouring conduct of Jallikattu.
Kerala State Animal Welfare Board member Jayachandran told Express the move to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act-1960, to facilitate conduct of Jallikattu, was a bad precedence.
“With the Tamil Nadu Government issuing the ordinance with support of the Centre, keeping in abeyance the judicial order banning Jallikattu, the other states will follow suit. Promulgation of the ordinance is likely to affect the ongoing trial of elephant abuse cases in Kerala,” he said.
“Now, festival organisers and jumbo owners in Kerala can simply argue that the misuse of elephants, including their parading, is part of the state’s ‘tradition’. Tamil Nadu and the Centre have watered down the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,” said Heritage Animal Task Force secretary V K Venkitachalam.
Kerala Elephant Owners’ Federation (KEOF) general secretary V Sasikumar said the federation wholeheartedly welcomed the decision, which according to him honoured the spirit of a vast majority of the people of that state.
Meanwhile, experts are of the view that drawing parallels between elephant and bull is not easy, as technically, an elephant is a wild animal and bull is a domesticated animal.
“Moreover, an elephant is an endangered species that has been included in Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Protection Act-1972. While the bull-taming sport is a one-day event, the abuse of elephant is a year-long process,” they said.