PETA moves SC against change in law to allow ‘jallikattu’

PETA, in its fresh plea, has challenged the constitutional validity of the recent amendments made by Tamil Nadu Assembly in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act 2017, that had led to the conduct of the bull-taming sport in the state earlier this year. It said the Act was a welfare legislation and “hence overrides any socalled traditional and cultural practices that perpetuate cruelty”.  The Supreme Court had earlier struck down the practice of Jallikattu terming it as “illegal and unconstitutional”. 

“It is disingenuous on the part of the Legislature to elevate Jallikattu to a traditional and cultural practice, when it has been found to not be so in previous rounds of litigation,” the plea said. PETA has made Tamil Nadu, Union of India and the Animal Welfare Board of India as parties to its petition which may come up for hearing in coming weeks.