Latest news with #Jallikattu
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Studying bullfighting, will see what can be done to legalise it: Goa CM Pramod Sawant
Porvorim: MLAs across party lines on Thursday pressed for the legalisation of bullfighting. The MLAs cited Tamil Nadu govt's decision to allow Jallikattu (a traditional bull-taming sport) to persuade Goa govt to make bullfighting legal. Chief minister Pramod Sawant said, 'Jallikattu is not a fight between two bulls. But I understand the sentiments of MLAs.' He said, 'The high court is monitoring bullfighting. We will study, and thereafter we can see what can be done.' Mandrem's MGP MLA Jit Arolkar said that bullfighting has taken place from the Harappan era and is considered a tradition in the coastal belt of Goa. He has moved a private member's bill seeking legislation to allow bullfighting only on special days like feasts, jatras, birthdays, or village festivals. 'People give bulls more care than they offer to their own children,' Arolkar said. 'Humans have pedicures done. Similarly, bull owners give pedicures to their animals.' Arolkar related an anecdote to underscore the value people attach to their bulls. A woman from her constituency had contacted him to help her son find a job, he said. But in the end, he said, 'She told me to forget about her son and take care of her bull, which is idle at home and has not been in a bullfight for two years. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is this legal? Access all TV channels without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo This is the reality.' Independent Cortalim MLA Antonio Vas said, 'When I had one bull, I was known as the Cortalim fighter. After the high court banned bullfighting, I stopped keeping bulls.' He added, 'We have to come together to legalise bullfighting in the state.' Leader of the opposition Yuri Alemao said, 'Looking at the CM's reply, he is firm about not legalising bullfighting.' Alemao said, 'The CM should tell us whether there will be a discussion on the bullfighting bill. A former BJP CM had said that they wanted to legalise bullfighting.' Benaulim's AAP MLA Venzy Viegas said that the traditional sport must be preserved. St Andre's RGP MLA Viresh Borkar said the assembly should provide bullfighting with the status of a sport, and a stadium should be constructed to host the fights. Fatorda's GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai said govt should form an expert committee to safeguard human life and amend the relevant state act. Sardesai said that govt has to take the 'double-engine approval' and present a strong case in court. 'The Goa assembly has the full right to pass an amendment,' Sardesai said. Siolim's BJP MLA Delilah Lobo said precautions should be taken to avoid the loss of human life during bullfights.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Goa mulls law to legalise traditional bullfight, CM says it's a taming sport
Panaji: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said the government will consider a law to legalise the traditional buffalo fight (Dhirio or Guerra) as 'it does not involve a fight between two bulls, but is rather a taming sport.' NGO People for Animals, filed a petition in 1996 against the government's failure to act against bullfights. (Representative photo) Speaking during a calling attention motion raised by Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) legislator Jit Arolkar, Sawant said, 'Jallikattu is a traditional Tamil sport often described as a bull taming event held during the Pongal festival held usually in January. It involves releasing a bull into the crowd and participants attempt to grab its hump and hold on for as long as possible. It is not a fight between two bulls.' The Government of India in 1960 enacted the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which said inciting 'any animal to fight… solely with a view to providing entertainment' would amount to 'treating animals cruelly.' A year later, Goa became part of the Indian Union, and the law came into force in the region. Also Read: Clash of cultures and rights in Goa's underground bullfighting pits As bullfights reportedly continued in Goa, NGO People for Animals, filed a petition in 1996 against the government's failure to act against bullfights. The Bombay High Court at Goa reiterated, '…inciting any animal to fight any other animal with a view to providing entertainment or organising, using or acting in the management of any place for animal fighting… is clearly prohibited by Section 11 of the said Act.' Arolkar argued that Dhirio has been a part of Goa's cultural and traditional fabric for decades, often associated with village feasts and community gatherings. 'The practice dates back to the Harappan civilisation with evidence uncovered suggesting that such fights were held for sport and entertainment,' Arolkar said. Also Read: Assam revives traditional bull fights nine years after SC ban Sawant said, 'I understand the sentiments of the members of this House that it is a traditional event along the coastal belt. Animal lovers went to court and it got banned. Keeping in mind the sentiments, and examining the issue legally, we will see what can be possible.' He added that there were six cases of illegal bullfighting registered so far in the state. Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Venzy Viegas had moved a private members' bill in 2023 to legalise the practice, a bill that has been pending for vetting with the law department since then.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
DMK, CPM councillors spar over MP's ‘garbage city' remark
Madurai: A brief but tense exchange marked the Madurai corporation council meeting on Tuesday after DMK councillors objected to Madurai MP Su Venkatesan's recent remark describing the city as a "garbage city" following its poor ranking in the Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 survey. The comment drew sharp criticism from DMK members and sparked a verbal spat with CPM councillors, who defended the MP. Raising the issue, DMK councillor M Jeyaraman (Ward 58) said the MP's comment undermined the efforts of corporation staff and elected representatives. "He does not visit the field to understand ground realities. He won from Madurai with DMK's support, and now he speaks against us," he said. CPM councillor Kumaravel countered that the MP was actively involved in civic issues and well-informed on ward-level matters. "Instead of blaming him, we should work together ahead of the assembly elections," he said. When DMK councillor P Kajendra Kumar (Ward 21) asked Kumaravel to lower his voice, the exchange briefly escalated before being brought under control by mayor Indrani Ponvasanth. Addressing the house, the mayor said the Swachh Survekshan report was flawed and that the corporation had reapplied with revised data. "We were disappointed by the MP's remark, especially after our efforts during events like the Chithirai festival and Jallikattu, where cleanliness was widely appreciated," she said. She also alleged that the central government's ranking process was biased. "Madurai was unfairly placed at Rank 40, just below Chennai, despite clear improvements," she said, adding that the corporation would continue to work on improving sanitation and service delivery. MSID:: 122978014 413 |
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Maramadi, an agrarian sport fading into oblivion
PATHANAMTHITTA: Conducted in ankle-deep slushy fields after the paddy harvest, 'Maramadi', (bull surfing) is not just a race for the villagers of Anandapally in Pathanamthitta, but a symbol of traditional farming, one where man, animal and mud merge in a unique spectacle of tradition and toil. However, the harvest race that once drew thousands to the muddy fields near Anandapally in Adoor during the Malayalam month of Chingam is nearly extinct today. The race was a sight to behold. A pair of bulls yoked to a wooden plank charged down a 100-m waterlogged track, with a rider clinging to the log and two runners guiding them. For viewers, it was rhythm, tradition and unwavering spirit – 'agriculture in motion', as many dubbed it. Started in the 1950s in Adoor Puthuveettil Padi Ela, Anandapally Maramadi was held annually after paddy harvest until 2008, following a Supreme Court directive that banned events involving the use of animals, including Tamil Nadu's Jallikattu. 'While states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra subsequently passed legislation allowing traditional bull-related sports to resume following a 2017 amendment by the Centre, Kerala has yet to follow suit,' said Varghese Daniel, president of the Anandapally Karshaka Samithi (AKS), the organisers of the Maramadi. Despite promises from successive state governments, neither a Bill has been passed nor an ordinance promulgated to permit Maramadi. 'We were told an ordinance would be brought. Even the CM publicly assured it. But nothing has moved forward,' said AKS secretary V K Stanley. The organisers said Maramadi attracted over 60 bull pairs from eight districts as well as large crowds, including foreign tourists. The event traditionally took place on August 15 during Independence Day celebrations. Bulls, often brought from Tamil Nadu, were specially trained and maintained by local farmers for a considerable cost. Cultural significance Beyond entertainment, Maramadi carried cultural and agricultural significance, serving as a platform to showcase indigenous farming practices and tools, encouraging youth participation in agriculture and promoting rural tourism.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
No puja of live cobra this Nagpanchami as well in Battis Shirala, MLA appeals to residents to abide by court order
Kolhapur: The residents of Sangli's Battis Shirala were hopeful of getting permission from the authorities to perform puja of live cobra, a tradition they claimed to be seven centuries old. However, local MLA, Satyajit Deshmukh has appealed to them to follow the Supreme Court's guideline banning live snake worship. During the campaign for the assembly elections, Amit Shah had reportedly assured the residents that the traditional Nagpanchami of Shirala would be restored. Deshmukh later met him in Delhi, raised the issue in the assembly, and secured a meeting with the Union forest minister. Desmukh said since the process involves an amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act, it would take some time to restore the traditional Nagpanchami celebrations involving live snake workship. Therefore, he requested the residents to follow the SC guidelines for the upcoming festival on July 29. "We have succeeded in raising the issue at appropriate platforms. We are hopeful that someday a way out will be found, and the Shirala residents will again perform puja of live snakes. The Supreme Court order had banned the practice in 2014. I have appealed to the residents to abide by the SC order for the upcoming Nagpanchami celebrations." The residents said performing the puja of a live cobra snake is part of their culture and should be allowed like the way Jallikattu and bullock cart races, which were earlier banned, and are now allowed. The old texts mention the puja of a live snake. Even the Britishers were fascinated by the tradition and mentioned about this in the Gazette during their reign, they said. A senior official from Sangli said police and forest staffers would stage a march in the town informing resients that violators of the SC order would be punished. The forest department uses drone cameras to keep watch on snake catchers. It has been found that the believers catch snakes and hide them in matkas or gunny bags and take them out on Nagpanchami. The women, who believe the snake to be their brother, gather in the houses where the snake is kept and perform puja. The tradition was banned by the courts after wildlife activists brought to their notice that cobra snakes, which are protected species, are harmed during the procession and while holding competitions over whose cobra snake lifts its head high, looks healthy, and beautiful. The organisers have denied any such harm to the animal.
