The SC on Thursday upheld the validity of amendment Acts of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka which allowed bull-taming sport ‘Jallikattu’, bullock-cart races and buffalo racing sport ‘Kambala’ respectively.
‘Jallikattu’, also known “eruthazhuvuthal”, is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival.
The ‘Kambala’ race, held in Karnataka between November and March, involves a pair of buffaloes tied to a plough and anchored by one person. They are made to run in parallel muddy tracks in a competition in which the fastest team wins.
After the SC’s verdict, Desai said, “We will provide all assistance and cooperation to hold bullock-cart races.”
Vikhe Patil said the apex court judgement was the victory of farmers.
The 12-year-old legal battle for resumption of the races was possible because of a collective effort and the Eknath Shinde-led state government played a crucial role in it, he said in a statement. The bullock-cart races is a matter of sentiments in rural areas as it is an employment generation initiative, the minister said.
The races were banned in 2011 and the state government in 2017 enacted a legislation to restart the races. But, the Bombay High Court stayed the legislation. The SC had refused to lift the stay and the matter was referred to a larger bench, Vikhe Patil said.
He said the state government defended the 2017 legislation before the apex court.
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