Tuesday 10 January 2017

Letter to the President of India

To
H.E.The President of India
Through the Honble Prime Minister of India
( To be delivered by someone )

Your Excellency,
Kindly issue an Ordinance immediately amending the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and permitting Jallikattu, but with safeguards prohibiting cruelty to the bulls, e.g. putting some irritant in its eyes, beating the bull or cutting off or poking some part of its body, forcing it to drink liquor, etc..
With such safeguards I do not see what objection can there be to permitting this ancient sport of Tamilnadu.
There has to be a balance in such matters. An animal cannot be placed on the same footing as a human being. For instance, in fishing the fish is taken out of the water, and it dies by asphyxiation as it cannot breathe in air. Is this not cruelty to the fish ? And so should fishing and eating fish be prohibited ? A bull is castrated to make it a bullock. Should this be forbidden ? Should halal meat be banned ?
Please consider this request at the earliest as Pongal is fast approaching, and I am making it on behalf of many people of Tamilnadu who love this sport
With regards
Justice Markandey Katju
former Judge, Supreme Court
former Chief Justice, Madras High Court
10.1.2017

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