Cockfights, Jallikattu boom

With the Supreme Court declining to issue fresh orders on cockfights and Jallikattu, organisers are making a killing in several parts of AP and TN

​Hyderabad: Though a High Court order directing the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments to ban cockfights is in effect, the blood sport is thriving in several parts as part of Sankranthi celebrations, with the administrations going slow with the implementation of the court orders.

In the latest development, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to pass any fresh order to stop cockfights in Andhra Pradesh, thus giving scope for the fights that involve crores of rupees of betting to continue unbridled.

Cockfighting is a popular sport in the rural areas of both the Telugu speaking states, particularly AP, where the birds fight with each other with blades tied to their feet.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud declined to pass any order to ban cockfights when it was submitted that the High Court direction in this regard was not being implemented.

The bench said the ‘request was declined’ when the fresh plea of activist Gauri Maullekhi was mentioned by a senior advocate Siddharth Lights who said the HC order banning cockfights was not being followed by the State administration.

Meanwhile, the unyielding organisers are conducting the game in several coastal districts and crores of rupees have been changing hands in betting. In a bizarre incident, in Srinivasapuram under Tadepalligudem mandal of West Godavari district, one Dayakar belonging to Khammam district of Telangana opened three rounds in the air with his licensed revolver.

As the man opened fire as soon as the cockfight began in Srinivasapuram, unnerved onlookers ran for cover, spreading panic in the area for some time. However, the police rushed to the spot and took the accused into custody and also seized his revolver.

Jallikattu events held
People organised bull-taming sport Jallikattu in several parts of Tamil Nadu on Friday and protesters took to the streets as the state united to defy a Supreme Court ban on the popular event of the Pongal celebrations.

Sources said revellers clashed with police who tried to stop Jallikattu events in Madurai and Cuddalore while students formed a chain at Chennai’s famous Marina Beach to protest the ban, which has turned into a political controversy.

The apex court had on Thursday refused to advance its judgment on a clutch of petitions challenging a notification by the Centre allowing Jallikattu this year.

Meanwhile, animal rights groups in neighbouring Tamil Nadu wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee and the Centre, asking them not to allow the banned bull-taming sport Jallikattu.

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which came under criticism from Jallikattu supporters in the state and Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) have written to Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave in this regard.

A release issued by PETA on Friday said Jallikattu was illegal according to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s 2011 ban on the use of bulls in performances and a 2014 Supreme Court judgment.

By: Payam Sudhakaran
(With inputs from Agencies)