A day after the Supreme Court accepted the plea of animal rights groups against conducting the bull taming sport Jallikattu, and stayed the sport from being conducted this year, internet users took to platforms like Twitter and Facebook to voice their views.
Tuesday saw the Supreme Court hear petitions filed by Animal Welfare Board of India, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, two other NGOs and several individuals while the same night saw hashtags like #WeNeedJallikattu and #WeWantJallikattu trend on Twitter.
The four-year-old ban on holding of Jallikattu was lifted on January 7 by the Modi government with certain restrictions. The decision to allow Jallikattu, days before traditional harvest festival Pongal begins along with bullock cart races in other parts of the country, had come through a government notification.
In a notification issued on January 7, 2016 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the exhibition and use of bulls as performing animals for jallikattu and bullock-cart races was allowed under certain conditions.
However, activists claimed that this was a violation of the court order and moved it to the Supreme Court.
Jallikattu also known Eruthazhuvuthal is a bull taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day.
How Insane & irrational. Animals can be slaughtered, sacrificed & eaten at will, but can't be tamed in a traditional sport. #SaveJallikattu
— Shirazz (ಶಿರಾಜ್) (@SHIRAZSHER) January 12, 2016 They don't want to play with the animals, they want to eat them; #WeNeedJallikattu
— Srikanth (@Modi4India) January 12, 2016 Its a shame tht northies have no interest in learning the difference btn Bull taming and Bull fighting. #WeNeedJallikattu
— sathish babu c (@sathishbabuc) January 13, 2016 This is how we Tamils feel when we see PETA activists on TV #WeNeedJallikattu #savejallikkattu #BanPETA pic.twitter.com/HlRDHg7k4p
— Mr.பழுவேட்டரையர் (@mrpaluvets) January 13, 2016 People ready to get arrested for conducting jallikattu. We should back them in every way ! #WeNeedJallikattu
— Prashanth (@itisprashanth) January 13, 2016 We need all of Our Tamil Youngsters to raise Voice of Protesting and Supporting Our 3000 Yrs Old #TamilHeritage #WeNeedJallikattu to happen!
— தஞ்சை ஆ.மாதவன் (@AMadhavaVarma) January 12, 2016 Complete loss of faith in Judiciary -Judgements on TN Temples & Jallikattu proves who is still calling the cards in India #WeWantJallikattu
— Nandini (@Nandini_PS) January 12, 2016 Only tamilan understand Tamil games! But we don't even have Tamil #cm in tamilnadu, how come Tamil games survive?? #wewantjallikattu
— Thirumalai kumaran (@capt_vtk) January 12, 2016 Enna koduma Saravanan idhu? #WeWantJallikattu @itisprashanth @hariharannaidu pic.twitter.com/FKunPYNn9A
— Kollywood Paapa (@KollywoodPaapa) January 12, 2016 Banning Jallikattu may result in extinction of indigenous breed of buffaloes in Tamilnadu. #WeWantJallikattu
— Vasant Shetty (@vasantshetty81) January 13, 2016 #WeWantJallikattu Either State Ordinance under Article 213 or Central Ordinance under Article 123 needs to be passed
— Neechalkaran (@Neechalkaran) January 12, 2016 People who threw beef paries are now talking of animal violence ! Accept beef ban else accept Jallikattu, #WeWantJallikattu
— Sharath (@Sharath_RB) January 12, 2016 What an Idea Sir Ji #WeNeedJallikattu pic.twitter.com/A6clej2KL2
— Tajinder Pal S Bagga (@TajinderBagga) January 12, 2016