Bullock cart races have been a part of the ‘entertainment’ industry in rural India for several centuries. This is a very cruel sport where these magnificent animals are tortured in different ways to make them run in terrifying conditions and win big money. Farmers raise the male calves of certain breeds from the dairy industry that would otherwise end up in the slaughterhouse as they cannot produce milk. Farmers proclaim that they take care of these bulls as their own family members yet they don’t hesitate to kill the bull by burying him alive if he gets injured and cannot take part in races anymore.
Cruelty In Bullock Cart Races
Using pointed instruments of nails on wooden sticks on the body of the bulls till the animal starts bleeding. This is sometimes used on their genitals to inflict even more pain.
Whipping the bull excessively knowing well that the skin of these animals is very sensitive to even the touch of a fly.
Twisting and wringing and biting on the tails to inflict unbearable pain
Using chilli powder in the eyes and genitals of the bulls
Making them run 10 to 15 kilometers so fast that they literally fall dead with their tongues hanging out
Using sharp serrated clamps called ‘pinjri’ in Marathi on the ears of the bulls to make them run in straight line causing their ears to bleed
Giving them steroid injections, feeding them alcohol and other narcotic drugs
Races with a horse and bullock tied to one cart though illegal are being organised in many places.
Chikkhal races where the bulls are made to run in mud created intentionally by people.
Races on asphalt roads of 15 to 20 kilometers with vehicles making loud noises with their horns chase these carts.
Races in which the bulls on the carts are made to pull huge and heavy logs. These are especially organised on the birthdays of politicians and without legal permission.
Burying alive a bull with a fracture in a place near the race itself and the organisers do not allow this to be documented on videos or in pics at all.
The History of Court Actions
In 2013, the Supreme Court had ordered that certain rules should be followed in each and every bullock cart race. However, since these rules were not followed, the Supreme Court in 2014 banned the races knowing that the implementation of such rules would be next to impossible, and the animals got respite for 9 years. A Supreme Court of India Bench comprising of Justice KS Radhakrishnan and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose in 2014 banned Tamil Nadu’s centuries-old cruel Jallikattu bull fights and the inhumane races in Maharashtra and other states. The Jallikattu events in Tamil Nadu and bullock cart races all over India were banned on the basis of the torture meted out to these otherwise gentle animals and the cruelty suffered by these animals in this kind of sport had almost completely disappeared and we were on our way to learning how to truly respect animals. However, in 2023, the Supreme Court bench comprising of 5 judges overturned this judgement citing that the cruelty was ‘essential’ in preserving our ‘culture and traditions’. The 2023 judgment reversed all the good that had been done for these animals and they have started suffering immeasurably because of it. This was the outcome of the case, despite all the hard work of so many people to bring the extreme cruelty and exploitation involved in this so-called traditional sport to light, and it ultimately restarted the unimaginable torture and violence towards bulls and horses in this great country of ours. Bulls in Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and other states are forced to undergo extreme atrocities. All in the name of culture and tradition. Cruelty and torture can never be our ‘culture’ or ‘tradition’. Just the fact that the ban was lifted completely with certain rules to be followed (that everyone knows will not be implemented in more than 99% races), shows us that our judiciary has in our opinion lost respect for our values of Ahimsa and Vasudaiv Kutumbakam.
These animals cannot complain or represent themselves in any manner and therefore it is imperative that the voices of the people standing up for them should be heard as though the animals themselves are talking about their emotions, pain and suffering. We need you to join us in opposing these cruel practices and end this form of ‘entertainment’.
Whenever races are organised, they are marketed and advertised widely attracting a huge number of people from neighbouring villages. Politicians make use of the gathering of lakhs of people in such races to make their speeches and use this as their campaign event and so support these races to get their vote bank. Moreover, there is a lot of gambling involving huge sums at these races. For this very reason we cannot expect the government to take any step to stop these bullock cart races. The only way we can prevent the animals from this horrific trauma is to get the judiciary to ban this cruel ‘sport’.
If the latest Supreme Court judgment of 2023 is not reviewed and the judgment is not overturned, these animals will continue to suffer like this for decades and it will give people a green signal for other forms of cruelty in other spheres as well.
The judgement of Justice Radhakrishnan was considered a landmark judgment in favour of the animals and was referred to in many cases all over the world. We need to be a voice for animals and set a great precedent for the entire world to follow once again.
You Can Help
Peta India has urged the Honourable Supreme Court of India to urgently hear their review petition. You can help by becoming aware about their new investigations and take action by tweeting here.