Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Madras High Court has ordered the Tamil Nadu government that only bulls of native breeds (country bulls) should be allowed to participate in Jallikattu. The order was passed based on a petition filed in the court seeking to ban the cross-bred and foreign bull breeds from the sport.
Seshan, who hails from the Chennai - Duraipakkam, in his petition said that only native breeds of cattle should be allowed to participate in Jallikattu competitions; he also petitioned for a ban on the participation of foreign and crossbred bulls in Jallikattu.
In that Petition, the petitioner has reasoned that country bulls have a hump on which the tamer could hold on but cross-bred or foreign breeds don't have such hump.
Judges Kirubakaran and Velmurugan, who heard the case, allowed the Jallikattu matches. They pointed out that the amendment to the law enacted in 2017 stated that the amendment was made to protect the country's cattle and the culture of Tamil Nadu.
Rejecting the government's argument that foreign bulls were not barred from participating in Jallikattu, the judges said, "Only native bulls should be allowed to participate in Jallikattu competitions. Foreign and crossbred breeds should not be allowed to participate. The bulls participating in Jallikattu have to be certified by the veterinarians as country bulls."
False certification will result in action including contempt of court. Country Bulls should be encouraged to breed,'' the court advised the Tamil Nadu government. The court also advised the state not to do artificial insemination of native cow breeds.
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