Jallikattu protest grows shriller, govt mulls options
CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: Protests demanding jallikattu swelled on the streets of Tamil Nadu after agitators rejected statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and the state braced for a shutdown tomorrow.
Late night reports indicated that the state government could consider promulgating an ordinance to ensure holding of jallikattu or convene the Assembly for adopting a resolution in its favour.
In a virtual replay of the anti-hindi agitation of 1960s, lakhs of students and youths took leadership of the peaceful protests across the state, while agitators in Madurai, the main area which has been hosting jallikattu sport for centuries, stopped trains pressing for their demand. Businesses, theatres, schools and transporters have declared a day-long strike tomorrow supporting the demand for immediate permission to allow jallikattu.
More eminent personalities like chess wizard Viswanathan Anand and music maestro A R Rahman extended their support. Rahman will sit on a daylong fast tomorrow.
On a day of hectic developments, Modi expressed inability on the part of the Centre in promulgating an ordinance in the conduct of the bull-taming sport but expressed support for steps taken by Tamil Nadu in this regard. Chief Minister Panneerselvam, who met Modi at his residence in Delhi, told reporters later that the state government in conjunction with the Centre would take steps for holding the event.
"We will soon take steps with the backing of the Centre for the holding of the sport. You will soon see (the steps).
All is well that ends well. Wait, good will happen," he told reporters after the meeting with Modi during which he urged the central government to issue an ordinance to enable the sport to be conducted.
Later, the Chief Minister deferred his return to Chennai and held consultations with legal experts including state Additional Advocate General (AAG) Subramonium Prasad. He is understood to have discussed the option of the state issuing an ordinance for ensuring holding of the event traditionally held during Pongal.
After the Chief Minister pressed for immediate steps for promulgation of an ordinance, the Prime Minister told him that the Supreme Court was yet to give its verdict on the notification of the government on the issue but the Centre would support any step taken by the state government on this.