Kakinada: Now that the season for cockfights is over and the courts have made it clear they disapproved of the practice, it is the turn of Jallikattu. The Jallikattu sport has also been banned by the Supreme Court and an agitation is going on against the judgment in Tamil Nadu. This has given hope to supporters of the traditional cockfights in Andhra Pradesh.
Cockfights are organised on a large scale during the Sankranti season every year and thousands of crores of rupees change hands as bets are placed on the fights. The state High Court has banned cockfights on the grounds that they cause cruelty to the birds and also the losing bird invariably gets killed in the fight.
Bets are placed on Jallikattu too, but not such high amounts. The Tamil Nadu people want an ordinance passed by the Union Government, setting aside the court judgment. The supporters of cockfights feel this can help them also plead their case for their traditional sport. The Jana Sena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan also expressed his support for the Jallikattu sport. Cockfight organisers weren’t too happy about this. BJP leader K.Raghurama Krishnam Raju, who is fighting through the courts to allow cockfights as a traditional sport, hailed Pawan Kalyan’s initiative to support Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu. “Unless we protect our tradition and culture, the tradition as well as the animals can vanish like the famous Ongole Bullock,’’ said Mr Raghu-rama Krishnam Raju.
He also felt that the courts have no right to prohibit any sport. He did add, if the sport violated the law such as gambling, tying knives to cocks, betting and so on, the government should take action against the wrongdoers.
Lawyer V. Jagannadha Swamy said that cockfights as well as Jallikattu should be banned without exception as both sports come under the category of cruelty to animals.
The Animal Rescue Organisation (ARO) secretary Mr Gopal. R. Surabathula, said that gaming, betting and gambling is involved in both the sports, cockfights and Jallikattu.
In Jallikattu, the participants play to grab gold coins which are tied to the bullock. The two sports should be banned to protect the animals, he said.
