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DNA has learned that days after the Supreme Court decided to hear AWBI's challenge to Tamil Nadu's new law on Jallikattu, acting chairperson SS Negi has asked members if the
board's plea should be withdrawn. Despite bloody deaths of matadors and protests from animal lovers, TN villages ready themselves for the bull fight every year Differences within the
environment ministry-affiliated Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) over the Jallikattu issue have once again come to the fore. DNA has learned that days after the Supreme Court decided to
hear AWBI's challenge to Tamil Nadu's new law on Jallikattu, acting chairperson SS Negi has asked members if the board's plea should be withdrawn. An interim application
challenging the new ordinance on the bull-taming sport has been filed by AWBI member Anjali Sharma. Negi, who is also Special Secretary, union environment and forest ministry, sent a mail to
AWBI members on Friday asking them if they wanted to have a meeting to discuss withdrawal of the application on the new Tamil Nadu law filed before the SC, sources said. The interim
application has been filed as part of the writ petition of 2016, which challenged environment ministry's notification permitting Jallikattu. Speaking to DNA, Negi said, "We are
still consulting the board members. We will decide soon." When asked if AWBI members were consulted before the filing of interim application, Negi replied, "No, they were
not." Sources said that AWBI is expected to take a call on the issue on Sunday. Sharma though rebutted Negi's claim. "The interim application was filed after it was approved
by the chairperson and other members," she said. Sharma is member of the board's executive committee, and the convener of its legal sub-committee. In her individual capacity, she
was one of the three petitioners, who challenged Centre's 2016 notification allowing Jallikattu. Negi's mail to AWBI members comes in the wake of a letter to Sharma by the
board's secretary M Ravikumar on January 25, in which he exhorted her to immediately withdraw any petition filed before the SC against Jallikattu. This is not the first time differences
have cropped up on the issue of the bull-taming sport within the AWBI. Last January, environment ministry pulled up then AWBI chairperson Major General (Retd) Dr RM Kharb for challenging
its notification allowing Jallikattu. It had asked Kharb why he did not resign before challenging the notification in SC. Kharb retired in December citing health reasons. The SC has agreed
to hear AWBI's interim application against the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendments) Act, 2017, on Monday.