Eminent cattle breeding expert Karthikeya Sivasenapathy (45) on Thursday resigned from the post of Board Member (Livestock and Farming) in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to protest the “injustice meted out by the Union Government to Tamils” on the jallikattu issue.
“I have sent my resignation to the Governor, who is the Chancellor of the University, on Thursday evening”, he told The Hindu .
Mr. Sivasenapathy, who is also a trustee of Senaapathy Kangayam Cattle Research Foundation, which is involved in ‘in-situ conservation and breeding’ of genetically pure Kangayam cattle for six decades, has one more year left to complete the three-year term as the Board member.
He said the Union government should have ensured the conduct of jallikattu and rekla race by making necessary amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act by inserting a clause in Section 2 that mentions the name of the traditional sports held State-wise where native bulls were used.
“Presently, the petitions seeking revival of traditional sports like jallikattu and rekla were getting rejected because the bulls and oxen had been classified under ‘wild animals’ in the Performing Animals’ list under the said Act since 2012,” he added.
Mr. Sivasenapathy asked why the Union government could not opt for the ordinance route to make amendments if they had the excuse of Parliament being not in session to make legislative amendments.
