AWBI divided over plea against Jallikattu

The letter, issued by M Ravikumar, Secretary, AWBI on January 25, stated: “If at all any petition has been filed challenging the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, (Tamil Nadu Ordinance 1 of 2017) on behalf of AWBI, the same may be withdrawn immediately.” 

The letter was addressed to Anjali Sharma, advocate and member of AWBI, signalling an internal rift within the board.  Ravikumar said, “AWBI has not filed any petition. If any private citizen has filed a petition, the board can’t be held responsible for it. Any petition, which is filed on behalf of the AWBI, must be approved by the board.” A source from AWBI said the petition was filed by a member of AWBI without consulting the board. 

“The board members got to hear it through the media and issued a statement that the AWBI was not behind the petition,” said the source. This comes a day after the Supreme Court had agreed to hear the petition to stay the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill 2017, where AWBI was named as one of the parties. 

The hearing was pushed to January 30.  Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, on behalf of the central government, had filed an interlocutory application seeking the withdrawal of the January 7, 2016 central notification which sought to allow jallikattu. 

However, this was rendered unnecessary after the state assembly passed the amendment. The AWBI was the main petitioner in the 2016 challenge against the central notification.  Following massive protests across Tamil Nadu, the state government promulgated an ordinance to lift the ban on jallikattu on January 21, following which the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill, 2017 was passed on January 23.