Keeping in view the large scale protests in Tamil Nadu against the ban on the bull-taming sport, the Supreme Court on Friday agreed not to pronounce its verdict on Jallikattu for one week.
The apex cout bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar agreed to put the pronouncement on hold on a plea by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi who told the court that “cultural passions” were running high in the state.
The apex court had in 2016 reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions by animal rights activist and organisations challenging a January 7, 2016 government notification taking out ‘bulls’ from the list of animals that cannot be exhibited or used for fights or races.
The notification was then stayed by the top court a week after its issuance.
Supreme Court agrees not to pass any interim or any order for a week on the Jallikattu issue.
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 20, 2017
The court was informed that both the Centre and Tamil Nadu were in touch and some measures were being taken to tackle the situation that surfaced in light of the harvest festival in which the ancient animal sport has special significance.
Earlier today, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) announced a statewide ‘rail roko’ agitation demanding Jallikattu in the state.
DMK workers break barricades, halt a train at Chennai Egmore railway station in support of #Jallikattu pic.twitter.com/6Ujxdbp4q5
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 20, 2017
A huge crowd of people led by the DMK working president MK Stalin is staging their protest at the Mambalam railway station and MP Kanimozhi will lead the protest in Chennai’s Egmore Railway station to support Jallikattu.
#WATCH: Chennai’s Marina Beach continues to witness massive crowd coming out in support of #Jallikattu pic.twitter.com/Elspz4uFOK
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 20, 2017
#WATCH: DMK workers break barricading, enter Chennai’s Mambalam railway station while protesting in support of #Jallikattu pic.twitter.com/6CLHSapn4z
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 20, 2017
The chief minister of state, O Panneerselvam, also said this morning that he has taken legal advice on ban over the bull taming sport and an ordinance have been passed to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Panneerselvam also requested the protestors to take back their agitation and assured that he had with the legal experts and the game will be enacted soon.
