Jallikattu cannot be termed as blood sport: SC, reserves verdict

New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Thursday notwithstanding the cruelty involved in "Jallikattu" it cannot be termed a blood sport as nobody is using any weapon and the blood may only be an incidental thing.

"Jallikattu" is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph said though cruelty may be involved in the sport people do not take part in the event to kill the animal.

"Because there is death does not mean it is a blood sport. I don't suggest that people who are going to participate and climb on to the bulls are going there in order to extract blood in that event. People are not going to kill the animal. Blood may be an incidental thing," the Constitution bench, also comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar observed.

The top court, which Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of pleas challenging the Tamil Nadu law allowing "Jallikattu", made the remark in response to the submission of senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for some of the petitioners, who insisted "Jallikattu"is a blood sport.

Divan submitted the term blood sport was used because it included killing or maiming innocent animals.