The Supreme Court on Friday refused permission to hold ‘Jallikattu’ or bull fight, a centuries old event that attracts thousands of people during Pongal harvest festival in Tamil Nadu, saying it was “barbaric” and amounted to cruelty against animals.

“We are not inclined to vacate the stay ordered by this court on the event,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan said, putting a ban at least for this year.

The interim decision invited mixed reactions. While animal activists hailed the order, owners of bulls who had come to Delhi for the hearing, criticised the same saying they would suffer huge monetary losses as a fallout of the decision.

“We will not allow fight between man and a bull,” affirmed the bench also comprising Justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal while hearing an appeal filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). It, however, allowed ‘Rekla’ (bullock-cart) race under the supervision of the authorities.

The AWBI had highlighted that Jallikattu could not be deemed as a sport since it entailed varied forms of cruelties to ‘participant’ bulls. Finding merit in the argument, the Bench said, “There’s no law in the country, which permits it.”

Senior advocate T R Andhyarjuna for the respondents that included the state of Tamil Nadu contested the ruling. “There isn’t any law to prohibit it also,” he argued seeking that popular sport be allowed at least for this year as deep social, religious sentiments were attached to it. The state Government further attempted to allay fears of causing any injury or loss of human lives as the counsel sought to assure that it will have a team of doctors to see that animals are not brutalised.

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