Issue ordinance, allow Jallikattu: Tamil Nadu CM to PM

Chennai: Amidst the growing chorus for holding the bull-taming sport of Jallikattu in 2017, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday urged the Centre to consider promulgating an ordinance for “removing the legal impediments” to enable the conduct of the sport next week in the state.

Chief minister O. Panneerselvam wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying “considering the groundswell of sentiment and support for the conduct of Jallikattu all over Tamil Nadu, this is an issue on which the government of India must act with maximum despatch.”

Noted actor Kamal Haasan, too, backed Jalliikattu saying that if this tradition was to be banned than government should also ban biryani. “If you want a ban on jallikattu, let’s also ban biryani…  I’m a big fan of jallikattu.” he said.

“Given that Pongal festival, which holds great importance to the people of Tamil Nadu, is less than a week away and Jallikattu is an integral part of the Pongal festivities, considering the urgency of the issue, government of India should consider promulgating an ordinance removing the legal impediments, enabling the conduct of Jallikattu during Pongal, 2017,” Mr Panneerselvam said in the letter.

The Tamil Nadu chief minister recalled that both him and his predecessor, the late J. Jayalalithaa, had put forth a demand to Mr Modi that the Union ministry of environment and forests “should clearly denotify” bulls as performing animals from a 2011 notification by the ministry.

The other demand was to “suitably amend Section 11(3) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 by introducing a new clause specifically exempting Jallikattu.