The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) is mulling the possibility of challenging the notification.
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People at places like Madurai and Trichy, where Jallikattu is traditionally held, were the most elated.
An elated Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “prompt response” to her government’s appeal, seeking a nod for Jallikattu.
The decision to allow Jallikattu days before the traditional harvest festival begins, and also bullock cart races in other parts of the country came through a government notification despite strong objections by animal rights groups.
The festival tempts young men as a test of strength as well as the chance to grab money and gold chains from the horns of running bulls and win prizes of television sets, bicycles and DVD players.
The central government, in a gazette notification, removed bulls form the list of animals that are banned from public display.
Under the new regulations, exhibition sports involving bears, lions, tigers, panthers and monkeys are banned, but bullock cart races and Jallikattu are permitted if they adhere to the norms.
The CM said she was very happy to learn about the Environment Ministry’s notification, “which has paved the way for the conduct of Jallikattu in different parts of Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal festivities”.
MDMK leader Vaiko and PMK founder S. Ramadoss also welcomed the Centre’s decision.
She stated the activity “upholds customs and cultural ideals of Tamil Nadu and it has excellent historic importance as well as guarantees a continuation of conventional varieties of native cows and the preservation of indigenous germ plasm “.
What is of course, extremely ironic in the Hindutva stand on jallikattu is that the movement simultaneously sees bovines as divine and has, across a number of states, lobbied for a ban on bull slaughter as a means to stop animal cruelty.
The government, however, has imposed some conditions.
“You would recall that I have consistently taken up this issue with you”. It was further stated by the court that when culture and tradition are at variance with the law enacted by Parliament, the law will take precedence, Joshipura said.
“Sati and child marriage were part of the Indian culture”.
“I am a proud Tamilian. We anticipated this. We are surprised that the Centre [federal government] is ready to diminish the stature of a Supreme Court order so brazenly”, The Hindu quoted an official as saying.
Animal welfare activists said they will challenge the government notification in the Supreme Court.
It however added a few guidelines to regulate it.
The notification superseded the earlier notification dated July 11, 2011, which was quashed by the Supreme Court.
Chaitanya Hoduri, a member at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), echoed the AWBI views.
“I had last written to you on 22 December 2015, requesting you to arrange for the issue of an ordinance, if need be, to enable the holding of jallikattu”.
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“The use of bulls in performances was banned by the Environment Ministry itself in 2011 and the causing of suffering that is inherent in jallikattu, bull races and bull fights has been illegal since 1960 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act”.
