Problem Isn¡¯t Alone With Jallikattu In India, US And Spain Too Are Debating 'Animal Cruelty'
The three countries have different versions of the practice and all are still debating about whether the practice should be banned.
Animal activists are up in arms again after a fresh debate on the practice of Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu was sparked a few days before Pongal celebrations ensue.
The practice of bullfighting and taming, however, is not limited to India alone and neither is the tug-of-war between culture, law, and activists. While culture-supporters say the ban cannot be imposed because it goes against the age-old traditions of Tamil Nadu, activists say the sport is inherently cruel to animals.
And the law, well, it¡¯s on the side of whoever makes the strongest argument. Along with India, America and Spain have also not been able to reach a conclusion when it comes to this bull-related sport. Here's a small account of what has been going on in these three countries.
Reuters
Rodeo in United States of America
Reuters
America¡¯s rodeo sport dates back to the 17th century when the South-western part of the country was under Spanish influence. The sport, which involves bull-riding, wrestling, calf-roping and saddle-bronc riding among other events, attracts hundreds of regular locals and curious tourists in Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and others. While one group argues that this sport is an inherent part of American culture, especially the southern states, others say it¡¯s a cruel practice against animals.
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Rodeos are governed by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) who say they have 60 rules to cover the care and handling of animals involved in the sport. And regulations today include having a veterinarian on site at all events and removing animals who are injured from competitions. While PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has lobbied to get the sport banned, saying the rules only protect the rider and not the animal, they have not yet been successful.
Bullfighting in Spain
Reuters
This south European is world-know for a lot of things, but mainly for the Tomatina Festival, paella and bullfighting. The tradition of bullfighting dates back to the Roman times, at least, and the current form of the sport took shape in the 18th century. Bullfighting is all encompassing ¨C it¡¯s a festival, it¡¯s a cultural practice, it¡¯s a spectacle and it¡¯s a business. Spain, however, is a divided nation when it comes to this age-old practice.
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In 2010, Catalonia banned bullfighting. But in practice, the Barcelona has been anti-bullfighting since 2004. However, in October 2016, Spain¡¯s judiciary overturned the ban on grounds of preserving common cultural heritage. The ruling, in which nine of 12 judges ruled against the ban, said that the Catalan parliament has overstepped its authority by imposing a ban on bullfighting and said the practice was an ¡°expression of a cultural nature that forms part of the common cultural heritage¡±.
Jallikattu in India
AP
India's southern state of Tamil Nadu has its own version of bullfighting, locally known as Jallikattu, and is a bull-taming event practiced on the fourth day of Pongal celebrations. The sport roughly dates back to 2,500 years and is mainly practiced in the Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Theni, Pudukkottai and Dindigul districts of Tamil Nadu. However, Jallikattu has been mired in controversy for a few years now. In 2010, the practice was banned on grounds of animal cruelty but UPA government at the centre reversed the ban in 2011.
AP
Once again, 2014, the sport was banned and this time by the Supreme Court after activists urged that it caused significant harm to animals. The court in its ruling said, ¡°The use of bulls in such events severely harmed the animals and constituted an offence under the Prevention of cruelty to the Animals Act.¡±
In January 2016, after request from the Tamil Nadu government, the central government lifted the ban on Jallikattu. The latest reversal on the ban has caused outrage among social activists and organisation saying the sport is cruel to animals and the traditional practice cannot be allowed to trump animal ethics. While a lot of Tamilians say Jallikattu must be carried forward because it is an inherent part of their culture, the other side of the argument is that of causing harm to animals.
Tradition is known to have locked horns with modernity over many issues. changing definitions of several matter over the different period in human history has resulted in unrest several times. the debate over cruelty on animals is one such things. Animals are revered, hunted, eaten, domesticated and used differently in different societies. one particular definition over how we must see animals is bound to clash with certain centuries-old traditions of the people where the perception of cruelty is different.
Currently, a non-violent protest is going on in Tamil Nadu, where people are demanding the right to celebrate their festivities as they have been doing for a long time. We can only hope that a better sense prevails over this issue.
