A bullock cart race in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. file | Photo Credit: PTI
Excise Minister of Maharashtra Shambhuraj Desai welcomed on 18th May Supreme Court verdict upholding validity of amendment laws allowing Jallikattu and bullock cart race, and said that the state government would provide all assistance to organize the bullock cart race.
State Revenue and Animal Husbandry Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said that the decision of the Supreme Court is a victory for the farmers.
The Supreme Court on 18 May upheld the validity of Amendment Acts of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which allowed bull-taming sport ‘Jallikattu’, bullock cart race and buffalo racing sport ‘Kambala’ respectively.
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‘Jallikattu’, also known as “Eruthazhuvuthal”, is a bull-taming game played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival.
The ‘Kambala’ race, held in Karnataka between November and March, involves a pair of buffaloes tied to a plow by a man. They are made to run on parallel muddy tracks in a competition in which the fastest team wins.
After the Supreme Court’s decision, Mr. Desai said, “We will provide all help and cooperation to organize the bullock cart race.”
Mr. Patil said that the decision of the apex court is a victory for the farmers.
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The 12-year-old legal battle to restart the race was made possible because of a collective effort and the Eknath Shinde-led state government played a key role in it, he said in a statement.
The minister said that the bullock cart race is a matter of sentiment in rural areas as it is an employment generation initiative.
The race was banned in 2011 and in 2017 the state government enacted a law to reintroduce the race. But, the Bombay High Court stayed the law. Mr Patil said the Supreme Court had refused to lift the stay and the matter had been referred to a larger bench.
He said the state government defended the 2017 law before the apex court.