Jallikattu conducted this year can be considered illegal: Madurai High Court

Jallikattu enthusiasts said that Judge had not taken into account the recent GO passed on Jallikattu in the year 2018 and it was an oversight by the Public Prosecutor(PP) not to present the GO before the Judge. 

Petitioners, MS Raja from Eruthazhuvuthal Padhukapu Sangam, Srivaikuntam and Jesumani from Thadikombu village in Dindigul district, had filed separate petitions in the High Court seeking direction to conduct Jallikattu in their respective villages. 

When the petitions were heard by the presiding judge, Bharathidasan, the counsel of the petitioners had submitted the GO passed in 2017 and argued that permission should be given to conduct Jallikattu in their villages too. Judge questioned the public prosecutor as to why the GO was not passed for conducting Jallikattu in 2018. Judge also said that the GO passed in 2017 holds good only for previous year and a fresh GO had to be passed this year. 

So without passing a GO the Jallikattu events conducted in Avaniyapuram, Palamedu and Alanganallur in 2018, can be considered illegal, said judge. He also questioned as to why Jallikattu should not be banned when it is conducted illegally. 

Further arguments in the case are posted for hearing on Friday where it is expected that the PP would furnish details of GOs passed in 2018. 

Officials from Madurai district administration had presented the details of three GOs passed on January 12. In GO no.14 it was mentioned that Jallikattu may be conducted at Avaniyapuram, Palamedu and Alanganallur, in Madurai district. In GO no.15 stated that Jallikattu may be conducted in Siravayal and Kandipatti in Sivaganga district, and in GO no.16 stated that the event may be conducted in Arasalur in Perambalur district. Also the dates for conducting Jallikattu were mentioned clearly in the GOs. 

Jallikattu enthusiasts said that it was failure on the part of PP not to furnish the GOs before Judge and leading to the confusion. Madurai Collector, K Veera Raghav Rao, had chaired all the three Jallikattu functions in Madurai and at Alanganallur, Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami, and Deputy Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam, had flagged off the event. How can CM and Deputy CM flag off an event if it is illegal, questioned Jallikattu enthusiasts.