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Convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) Dr Oscar Rebello has been nominated for CNN-IBN's Indian of the Year Award 2007 in public service category Vote for him at: http://www.cnnibnindianoftheyear.com/publicservice_voting_new.php --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dears, Reproduced below is the banner headline report in the Navhind Times dated 16 January, 2008. Here is an extract: QUOTE "Mr Venugopal said it was unfortunate that the state government was evoking religious sentiments to promote a sporting event which inherently involved cruelty to animals. He expressed apprehension that once the court allows the event to go there will be no change. The court on Friday last had refused to permit 'Jallikattu' saying it was "barbaric" and "inhumane". It had rejected a plea by Tamil Nadu government to vacate the stay imposed on the event on July 27 last year. .... Tamil Nadu government, submitted that the authorities have come out with elaborated guidelines to prevent cruelty against animals and by planning elaborate security arrangement. .... the court in a lighter vein said, "If all these safeguards will be there then there will be no charm..." UNQUOTE Surely this decision of the Supreme Court of India [overturning its own decision of earlier this week], will be power to the biceps of the South Goa Member of Parliament ...who has promised to get the dhirio legalised. Let's call them by another name and allow the authorities to video film and edit the same as may be needed to avoid the wrath of the courts. ;-) I am sure that Tamil Nadu will set some precedents this weekthat one may choose to follow in Goa. IMHO, Bullfights with safeguards, veterinary and medical certification seem analogous to bestiality or rape with condoms and pre- and post-rape medical attention and AIDS-free ceritification of the victim and the rapist. I may be wrong in drawing the parallel. The rapist may be robbed of his "pleasure" of ambush BUT I do not know if that would lessen the anguish of one that is raped. I am not that learned! On a more serious note, this issue of cruelty to animals needs to be understood by humans as, unlike boxers,wrestlers and other present day gladiators, the poor bulls and he-buffaloes do not speak, take part in multi-lateral discussions or have representation in the legislatures and parliament. Te soglle Redde ani padde ...ani ami soglle boill ! Fence sitting is a precarious art form. It is more comfortable to sit on a bench. Mog asundi. Miguel NAVHIND TIMES 16 January, 2008 SC permits bullfight in TN PTI New Delhi, Jan 15 : Tamilians received a Pongal gift from the Supreme Court today which lifted curbs on the 400-year-old tradition of 'Jallikattu,' which involves bullfight as part of festivities, but asked the authorities to ensure that animals were not subjected to cruelty. Directing that the event slated to be organised in 12 districts have to be video recorded, a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, Mr Justice K G Balakrishnan said the district authorities would take all precautions to prevent injury to spectators or animals. Any organisation or club which intends to hold Jallikattu will have to inform the concerned district collector three days prior to the event and the officials of the Animal Welfare Board will have to be allowed to witness the event under security. "All precautions have to be taken by the district authorities that animals are not subjected to any sort of cruelty," the bench, also comprising Mr Justice R V Raveendran and Mr Justice J M Panchal said making it clear that the district administration will have to make arrangement for the presence of veterinarian at the place of the event. The court said that after the event, the collector will have to give a report within two weeks. The bench agreed to relax the stay imposed on holding Jallikattu after the additional solicitor-general, Mr Gopal Subramanium, appearing for Tamil Nadu government, submitted that the authorities have come out with elaborated guidelines to prevent cruelty against animals and by planning elaborate security arrangement. The Tamil Nadu government had moved an application seeking modification of the January 11 order in which the court refused to vacate a stay on holding Jallikattu. Senior advocate Mr K K Venugopal, appearing for the Animal Welfare Board had opposed the application but the bench said it was an interim order and the court could entertain such an application. He even said that in this case the Tamil Nadu government was concerned over the religious sentiments of the people but in Ram Setu matter it has taken altogether a different stand. However, the court refused to go into this aspect saying it was only concerned with Jallikattu. Mr Subramanium, who sought permission for holding the event, said the court should consider the age-old religious sentiments and emotions attached with Jallikattu and explained the steps taken by the authority to ensure that adequate safeguards would be in place to prevent injury to spectators or the animals. At this, the court in a lighter vein said, "If all these safeguards will be there then there will be no charm..." However, during the hearing, the bench took exception to the tone and tenor of the application which said that the order not allowing Jallikattu may lead to law and order problem. "Unfortunately the application has not been drafted in a proper spirit," the bench observed adding that nothing has been said about protecting the animals. The ASG assured the court that the bulls would not be subjected to any cruelty and a veterinarian will be there on the spot to examine the animals before sending them to the arena. Similarly, the doctors would examine the people entering into the competition, he said. When the court wanted to know about the number of places where the event would be organised, Mr Subramanium said it would take place at 400 places and there are possibility that some of the villages would jointly hold the event. Mr Venugopal said it was unfortunate that the state government was evoking religious sentiments to promote a sporting event which inherently involved cruelty to animals. He expressed apprehension that once the court allows the event to go there will be no change. The court on Friday last had refused to permit 'Jallikattu' saying it was "barbaric" and "inhumane". It had rejected a plea by Tamil Nadu government to vacate the stay imposed on the event on July 27 last year. However, the court had allowed the 'Rekla' race involving bullock carts under the supervision of the authorities. The Animal Welfare Board has contended that bullfight was in a violation of section 11(1)(a) of the Prevention of Cruelty against Animals Act and it becomes the duty of the state to prevent such events. The Board had said there was no doubt that it was an age-old practice but if it takes place in violation of law it must be stopped. The Board has appealed against the decision of the division bench of the High Court which set aside the single bench order banning the event during the festival season of Pongal. Mr Venugopal had said the single-judge order banning the event was well reasoned as bulls are subjected to enormous cruelty before and during the competition. He said before the event the bulls are made to drink arak (alcohol) and chilli powders are sprinkled into their eyes to make them ferocious and they are chased for several kilometres. The advocate said owners of bulls leave their animals into a boisterous crowd and people jump over their hump, others try to catch them by their horns while some pull their tails. ENDS -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mhapsa 403507 Goa Ph 9822982676 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.