Jallikattu: TN ups pressure on Centre for ordinance

Making a fervent appeal to the students and youths to call off their massive agitation on Jallikattu issue, Tamil Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has said he would be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday to press for an immediate Ordinance to enable holding of the bull taming sport, which could not be held for the last three years due to the Supreme Court ban.

The chief minister didn’t go to Marina, but promised in a statement that he would request Modi to pass an emergency ordinance to allow the sport. Also, he implored the protesters to end their demonstration.

This is the first major political test for the chief minister after assuming office last month.

People are thronging the streets of Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Trichy, Sivagangai, Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari to express solidarity with the organisers of the sporting event.

He said, with the Supreme Court yet to pronounce its verdict, only the Centre has the powers to bring in amendments and the state government has been taking steps in that direction.

AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala also trained her guns on People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which has come under severe criticism from Jallikattu supporters for its opposition to the bull-taming sport.

“We will make legal efforts to prevent PETA, a foreign organisation, from involving in activities inimical to the cultural pride of Tamil Nadu,” she added.