JALLIKATTU PRESS CONFERENCE- Details

Much Thanks to @by2kaafi & @zeneraalstuff for spending time to translate & transcribe the (mostly) Tamil press conference in English.

Youtube video: Please click on CC (encircled with the white square box) to view English subtitles.

 

Soundcloud audio: Listen to the subtitles in English.

Here’s the entire subtitles file in text:

Three persons filed report (to Supreme Court) saying that cruelty is taking place in Jallikattu.

One of them is Manilal Valliyate. Another is Abhishek Raje.

The third is Manoj Oswal. These three persons file report to Supreme Court.

We saw it in Avaniapuram (near Madurai). We saw it there, here etc.. They threw sand.

They threw powder into the bull’s eyes. They fed alcohol to the bull. They punched etc.

Such was the Report. Who went to the Court saying Jallikattu should not be held. Jallikattu is illegal etc?

One-Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). Another is People For Animals (PFA). Another is PETA, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals.

These are the Organizations who went to the Court demanding a ban on Jallikattu.

Another important party is HSI, Humane Society International.

Beyond all these is a person called Soumya Reddy, daughter of a Minister in Karnataka.

She has been doing a lot of work as Animal Rights Activist. She is also much interested in banning Jallikattu.

That mistakes are happening in Jallikattu: Who filed such a report?

Animal Welfare Officers who are appointed by the Animal Welfare Board of India. All three of them.

Among these three, Dr. Manilal Valliyate, who is he? He is Veterinarian in People for Animals (PFA).

The Organization which files a PIL in Supreme Court demanding a ban on Jallikattu (i.e., PFA). Its veterinarian files the report to AWBI which it files to the Court.

That cruelty is being committed etc. He is a member of PFA.

Next is Manoj Oswal. He is PFA-Pune’s Chairman.

Third is Abhishek Raje. He is Soumya Reddy’s spouse.

These three people file the report. That, animal cruelty is happening.

Upon their report, it is deduced that the statements of Tamil Nadu Government, Central Government and of the Jallikattu organizers are lies.

But these three people are interested parties. After the case was filed in Court to ban Jallikattu, these three people, who are associated with these organizations are appointed to file the report.

Based on such a report, whose veracity is questionable, the judgement is given. Like this, several issues are there in this judgement.

What are the reasons provided in the Jallikattu judgement?

That Jallikattu amounts to animal fighting.

Animal fighting doesn’t necessarily imply that between animals but can also include that between animal and human.

Animal fighting is prohibited by Section 11. Thus, Jallikattu cannot happen. This is one reason.

Second reason proferred is: All activities involved in Jallikattu amount to animal cruelty under Section 11. Thus, it should be banned.

Third reason they say is: Cattle’s essential character is to eat grass. If a lion or tiger attacks it, the bull/cow has to escape by running. This is all they know.

Thus, within this essential character of cattle, there is no training or performance aspect. Jallikattu organizers bring this docile animal, beat it, shout at it, inebriate it, then it runs, and others inflict cruelty on it.

Thus, the bulls cannot be used as performing animals.

Already, the Central Government, in Section 22, has said that bulls cannot be used as performing animals, under the advice of AWBI. Thus, bulls cannot be used in Jallikattu.

Bulls can eat grass. They can fear for their lives (from predators) and run. That is all.

Then they relied on the report of the three persons. What they finally told is: Jallikattu does not comply with Sections 3, 11 and 22 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Thus, we ban Jallikattu. Jallikattu cannot take place. Such a judgement has come.

Now, what has the Central Government done? We welcome the move of the Central Govt. to bring a change in law. We are happy that they wanted to bring such changes so as to bring back Jallikattu.

However, if you want to know what specific things that they (Government) are doing in such amendments is: They are modifying Section 22 alone.

Which animals can be classified as performing animals? Which ones can’t be? The power to introduce such lists is provided in Section 22

There (i.e., in Section 22), they add a Clause No. 3, which says: Bulls can be used in Jallikattu.

This is the only amendment that they bring. What is depressing is that the Central Government, for some unknown reason, does not desire to think beyond Section 22. Or, is it not capable of it?

While the Jallikattu case was proceeding, the Central Government issued a notification in Section 22.

That bulls cannot be used as performing animals was notified by Jairam Ramesh when he was the Minister.

While Jallikattu case was going on, the Government informs the Court that they have passed a notification.

What is the notification? We have removed bulls from Section 22. What did the Court tell?

One cannot use bulls as performing animals. Thus, removing bulls from Section 22 is not legally valid, said the Court, a long while ago.

However, in January 2016, before Pongal, the Government hurriedly introduced a notification which said that even if bulls are present in Section 22, they can be used in Jallikattu.

As soon as we and others who know legal aspects saw this notification, we said that this notification will be stayed/annulled by the Supreme Court within 5 minutes.

Don’t feel happy seeing this notification. Jallikattu won’t happen. This notification will be stayed, many of us lawyers told.

As expected, Soumya Reddy, PETA, PFA, HSI, AWBI all of them went to the Supreme Court.

They brought in 11 Senior Lawyers. In 5 minutes, they got the stay. Now, the Government is bringing an amendment.

Also Read: Jallikattu is an issue of National Integrity

We looked at it eagerly. Mistakes again. Is 22 a lucky number for the Government? Why are they not looking beyond? They aren’t ready.

I’m also like Somu. I left villages, Tamil culture etc., many decades ago. I haven’t talked to a villager in a long while.

But, what is the truth in all these? What is happening? When I tried to dig out and find out the truth, I changed.

I have not been an animal welfare activist like Mr. Somu, but I have represented in some cases related to animal welfare earlier in High Court.

Only after digging out the truth, I realized that justice has been denied.

What are the amendments in law that is required for Jallikattu? If the Central Government doesn’t do it, can we at least try to think about it?

At that time, we formed this organization called BiCCI, Biodiversity Conservation Council of India.

It is a Trust. We got endorsements from various livestock breeders. We united all of them.

We looked at the issues in the amendments to the law. We realized that about 4 to 5 amendments were required

Firstly, Jallikattu has to be removed from the concept of animal fighting.

That is in Section 11-N. This is needed because, the same has been cited by the Court as an objection to Jallikattu.

Jallikattu, Rekla (bull cart race) or any traditional sport involving bulls cannot be considered as animal fighting. Such an exclusion has to be introduced.

Secondly, Section 11-3. Traditional sports involving Indian bull breeds cannot be considered as cruelty. This should be introduced in Section 11-3.

Thirdly, Section 22 has to be considered. Therein, an amendment has to be introduced. No law which has been introduced earlier which obstructs the practice of traditional sports….

….will not be legal from the date on which this amendment is passed. Such a Non Obstantate Clause (Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere…) must be introduced.

Finally, very importantly, Section 27. What are performing animals? When I exhibit an animal to an audience of people, it is a performing animal.

If I have to use an animal as a performing animal, I have to approach AWBI, register with it, obtain its permission, etc.

However, Section 27 says that animals used by Police, Military cannot be considered as Performing Animals.

Similarly, animals used in scientific or educational exhibitions are not considered as Performing Animals.

We say: Why not include Jallikattu under Section 27? There is already a way to provide for exemptions, via Section 27.

If Jallikattu is included in Section 27, those bulls will get exempted from Performing Animals.

Apart from introducing these four amendments (Sections 11-N, 11-3, 22 and 27), a fifth is required. To protect and preserve Native breeds, sports such as Jallikattu are essential.

We have to introduce such a sentence as well. This will nullify the objections of many people.

We have written all these as draft laws and have submitted the same to Ministries of Law, Animal Husbandry, Parliamentary Affairs, Prime Minister, Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Including the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. We have sent this Draft Laws to all of them. We have done the work that Government was supposed to do. These are the amendments required. We have asked all of them to consider these.

Everyone has received them. They all know what amendments are required. We are announcing this in this Press Meet so that it reaches the common man/woman.

The amendments that they (Government) are planning to introduce. They are half-baked. Half-hearted attempts. It won’t stand a legal challenge.

Why bring such an amendment? Why get it stayed another time? The Government will earn a bad name that it doesn’t protect native breeds.

Instead, the Government should think. It should not consider us as a Private Party and should not spurn us. They can take what we say as a recommendation and they can start working on it.

[Question] There are many parties that say Jallikattu must take place every year. Last year it didn’t. Are you taking any specials steps to ensure it takes place this year?

Around a month ago, our thinking was to implead ourselves in the Supreme Court case. We can seek crowd funding etc. Because, to appear in the Supreme Court is an expensive affair.

They (animal rights groups) brought eleven Senior Counsels to the Supreme Court. The expense for that one day alone will be around Rs. 2 to 2.5 Crore.

We do not have that kind of money. We do not have such luxuries. Thus, we thought we will seek crowd funding and appear in the Supreme Court.

Fortunately, now (July 2016), the Law Ministry has sent a note to Ministry of Environment and Forests. However, we argue that the Law Ministry note is not enough. If this happens, we do not have to approach the Court.

I talked earlier about two breeds. Bos indicus and Bos taurus. In our country, the native breeds are the property of a Community.

Kangeyam bull belongs to Kongu Mandalam (Coimbatore region). Puliyankulam breed is in the Madurai region and it is the property of people living in that region.

They do not belong to a particular person, or caste or company. But if you consider Bos taurus cattle, whether it be Friesian, Jersey, Swiss Brown, or Holstein — they belong to a multi-national, i.e., their IPR belongs to a company.

That company will have a patent over it. Since India is the largest producer of milk in the world, these companies are having an eye on us (Indian market).

Even now, 40% of India’s milk production comes from our buffaloes. Only the rest 60% comes from our cows. That too, largely from our native breeds of cows.

In 1998, PETA entered India. Since then, 60% of our Native Bulls have vanished. There is a direct correlation between PETA’s entry into India and the loss of native bulls.

So, firstly there is PETA. Secondly, there is interest from these foreign breeds (Holstein, Jersey etc.). Thirdly, even today, we use Native breeds and employ zero-budget natural farming practices.

and use natural products like cow dung, cow urine for our agriculture. Many Indian groups have demonstrated the practicality of such approaches.

In fact, last month Govt of India bestowed Padma Shri on Subash Palekar for propagating these techniques.

He is from Maharashtra. It is a fine example of using native bull breeds & farming techniques in extremely dry & arid conditions.

He has proven that the native cowdung and cow urine is very potent and useful.

Similarly, fertilizer companies are also involved. Thirdly, the tractor lobby. Shri. Srinivas spoke of Oswal, Manoj Oswal.

The day after Jallikattu judgement, he posted on Facebook, “Our next target is to eliminate the bullock carts that transport sugarcanes to sugar factories”.

He doesn’t understand things. A farmer with a pair of bulls makes 3 trips to & fro from the fields to the sugar factory.

He makes Rs.2000-3000 per day and the maintenance of the bulls costs Rs.500. He keeps those bulls just to earn a living otherwise the breeds will be extinct.

Be it Kangeyam, Hallikar or Amritmahal. They will be extinct. So they want to put an end to it.

So, firstly they don’t understand the ways of the village. Another group fully understands this and wants to eliminate the various native livestock.

These groups are the AWBI, PETA, Humane Animal Society, HSI, FIAPO, Soumya Reddy gang, PFA.

Just adding 1 more point to Shri Karthikeya’s explanation, India is the highest producer of milk. We didn’t become so using Holstein Friesians or Jersy cows.

We became so using only our household buffaloes & our native bull breeds. Another point, we are also the highest producers of beef.

Now, as the production of beef is increasing, it is the native bulls that are butchered not the foreign ones.

On one hand we’re culling native bulls & increasing beef production and on the other, we are destroying all the conditions that are favourable for breeding the native bulls.

So we have slaughter from one side, ban from another side and entry of imported exotic breeds from a third side. Who gains & what happens henceforth, we leave the decision to you.

An additional point to what Shri Srinivas said, the question “How can the bulls go to the slaughterhouse?” arises. There is a cattle fair at Kannapuram near Kangeyam in Tiruppur District.

An annual fair for just Kangeyam bulls. This year, there were 6800 calves, out of which 1800 were female. Out of the 5000 male calves, 4700-4800 went to slaughter.

Now the reason for them going to slaughter is that the traditional bio-cultural sports of Rekhla race & Jallikattu have been banned.

People who are non-vegetarian know the taste difference between a country chicken & a broiler chicken. There is something called free-ranging cattle in Europe & America.

A cow/bull that grazes on its own in the field without human input is a free-ranging cattle. There is great demand for meat of such livestock in Europe & North America.

All our breeds are free ranging cattle. Be it TN, Karnataka, Maharashtra’s Deoni, Punjab’s cattle used in rural Olympics. All of them are free ranging cattle.

All Bos indicus cattle, if you let them out in the morning, it has to graze. It can’t be kept in stall-fed conditions. So there is a huge demand for free ranging cattle. That lobby is also involved in this.

[Question] [Audio Unclear]

[Karthikeya] Let me answer, there is something called the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources in India. NBAGR comes under ICAR, Indian Council for Agriculture research, headed by the Director-General of the bureau.

It is in Karnal, Haryana, near Delhi. They are the ones with the authority to classify breeds of India. The most recent addition is the Puliakulam breed used in Jallikattu.

Animal Husbandry is a state subject but controlled by the central government.

[Question] [Audio Unclear]

TN Govt has a clear policy on conservation of native livestock. Since 2012, they are conducting cattle shows for Kangeyam, Umblachery, Bargur, Alambadi, Puliakulam in many cities.

TN govt is fully supportive of Jallikattu, Rekhla etc. Unfortunately, a group in TN & India deals exclusively with the Supreme Court instead of with the Govt or Dept of Animal Husbandry or Dept of Agriculture or NBARG (Natl Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources).

In fact, AWBI is an unwanted organization for our rural people.

[Question] [Audio Unclear]

TN Govt has impleaded in the case. The hearing in SC is on the 27th or 28th. They are repeatedly delaying the hearings. We also want to go the SC, but as I explained earlier the costs are prohibitive for us.

On January 9th, 11 Senior Counsels, 49 Advocates on record & 19 Advocates appeared in SC. So eighty lawyers appear in front of the judge to literally intimidate him.

Effectively they are just 6 people connected to the AWBI. Just one organization makes it appear as though they are six and make it seem like a grave danger to the Indian state.

[Question] Besides discussing these organizations, have you also approached the Government directly on this issue?

Yes, we have made representations to Tamil Nadu Government and Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. In fact, Ponnar, Hon’ble Union Minister from TN has taken interest and is taking lots of steps. But, beyond that, there is a lobby in the Union Government also. Mrs. Maneka Gandhi is the head of this lobby.

She is taking all efforts to stop this Jallikattu. We have heard, even to the extent of threatening to resign, though we are not sure how far this is true.

[Question] Even though the State Government is showing interest in letting Jallikattu continue, the Union Government does not seem interested, does it?

Ministry of Law and Ministry of Environment are interested. But, Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, is the hurdle

You must understand that we are not against animal welfare organizations, merely that they are not relevant to a village.

No one needs to tell the villagers how to take care of their livestock. They’ve been doing it for thousands of years. We have in fact migrated away from the village only recently.

They work to prevent cruelty to stray dogs and cats or to cattle in the city. However, there is a TN Department of Animal Husbandry and a National Beaureu of Animal Genetic Resources.

70,000 veterinary doctors work here, like family members of the animal rearing farmers and they’re sufficient to take care of animal welfare.

The report on Jallikattu is submitted jointly by the District Collector, an IAS officer, the district SP, an IPS officer and the district’s Joint Director of Animal Resources

The NGOs have the money and influence to create an impression that these 3 individuals (Govt. officers) are submitting a false report.

[Question] You claim that the Union Government is not really following the line of the MNCs. Do you imply that MNCs have more influence than the Government of India itself? We all know what the issue is here. Why are trying you to soft pedal?

We are not hiding anything, Madam. AWBI is behind all of this and a single family is in control of AWBI. Do you want me to name them?

It is Chinny Krishna and Nanditha Krishna’s family. AWBI is a statutory body, created by a statute of Government. It is equivalent to a Government department. Do you know that the CEO of PETA is a member of AWBI?

Ms Purva Joshipura, CEO of PETA India, is on AWBI’s board. She is an American.

What is an American doing in AWBI? Chinny Krishna decides if an animal welfare organization is recognized or not.

Such a recognized organization will have a director on its board nominated by AWBI. HSI, PETA, PFA are the NGOs controlling the Animal Welfare Board of India

Today, they (AWBI) can challenge the Government’s ruling itself. If a Department of Government can challenge the Government itself, where does it derive the ability to?

It is these NGOs, who are hand-in-glove with MNCs

NGOs run AWBI. They work for MNCs. So, indirectly, AWBI is run by multi-national companies.

AWBI is run by 1-2 individuals, specifically from one family. AWBI recognizes specific animal welfare organizations. AWBI members will sit on the board of such NGOs

These NGOs control the AWBI. They are controlled by foreign companies. These companies have taken over AWBI and giving it the confidence to defy the Union Government.

They are able to hire 11 senior lawyers, 49 counsel on record and 80 lawyers in all, spending so many crores. It definitely cannot be spent by AWBI.

AWBI is controlled by foreign companies. This fact cannot be denied.

Mr Chinny Krishna is the Vice-Chairman of AWBI and Chairman of Blue Cross. His wife, Ms Nandita Krishna is the Vice-Chairperson of Blue Cross.

She is a Trustee of Humane Society International, a huge animal welfare trust in USA. So, this family controls AWBI, is represented in various NGOs

However, when the case goes before Supreme Court, they create the impression that the population of India has risen up in protest.

One request to members of the press. Just ask one question – How was Purva Joshipura, an American citizen, given representation in Animal Welfare Board of India?

She is CEO of PETA and a co-opted member of AWBI, as on date. Just ask them this question.

What is the need to make a foreigner a member of our Animal Welfare Board?

Let them answer just this one question. Is this one thing not enough to show that AWBI is controlled by foreigners?

[Question] Why can’t the Central Government interfere and take action against them?

Beyond the question of the Union Government interfering, there is a huge amount of lobbying and brainwashing. For example, they target only Jallikattu and Bailgada, in Maharashtra.

The reason is that uncastrated bulls are used in these sports, which no one will tell you. These are stud bulls, for breeding.

Due to the pressure they have placed, stud bulls are reducing in numbers. In our Kongu region, we use a mobile app to search for locations of stud bulls.

On one hand, they reduce numbers of stud bulls. On the other, they are marketing sex-selective semen, which will ensure that you do not have any bull calves.

The brainwashing is so thorough that our own Government is entering into agreements with MNCs for sex-selective semen.

Under the pretext of increasing milk production, our Government is entering into agreements for importing sex-selective semen

On one hand, stud bulls are reducing in numbers and on the other, no new bull calves are born.

So, in 5-10 years, we will become dependent on foreign companies for artificial insemination, and thereby, for milk and dairy products, the same way that we are dependent on them for seeds.

The semen stock is patented by each company.

We could rely on native livestock semen for rearing cows selectively. Why stop games involving bulls? Why reduce bull head counts? Only if you have healthy bulls, you have a healthy gene pool.

To brainwash, they hire people to write papers supporting their stand. When our leaders visit their countries, some foreign NGO like PETA have5-6 people dressed up as bulls and protesting.

Educated people in our country are influenced by the sight of these people holding placards. These are the many ways they are pushing their agenda. At ground level, the Government. That is what we are fighting.

The above article was written by @KarikadaiBoy . Here is the original article https://whitericevellasamy.wordpress.com/2017/01/06/jallikattu-press-conference/ . He blogs at https://whitericevellasamy.wordpress.com/

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