Jallikattu ban: Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam to meet PM Narendra Modi today

Madras High Court has ruled out the option of intervening in the ban imposed on Jallikattu by Supreme Court.

Updated: January 19, 2017 12:42 AM IST

By Sohit Mishra

Jallikattu ban: Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam to meet PM Narendra Modi today

Delhi, Jan 19: With the protests in Chennai over Jallikattu ban entering into the third day, AIADMK leaders led by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam would be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital today. The Tamil Nadu CM would be urging PM Modi to issue an ordinance at the earliest which would nullify the ban imposed by Supreme Court on the bull-taming festival.

Thousands of people, mostly youngsters on Wednesday were protesting against the failure of the state and central government to enable the conduct of Jallikattu during Pongal festival. The protesters also demand banning of animal rights group People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on whose petition the Supreme Court banned the bull-taming sport. In its petition, PETA issued a statement stating that the purpose of the festival is to thank the nature which cannot be achieved by tormenting bulls and causing injuries and deaths to people and bulls.

Madras High Court has declined to interfere in the Jallikattu issue. According to news agency PTI, Madras HC has ruled out the option of intervening in the ban imposed by Supreme Court. DMK President MK Stalin urged Centre to take immediate action to quell the public unrest. He said that the mass uprising for Jallikattu is reminiscent of the anti-Hindi agitation of the 1960s.

The protesters began assembling outside Marina Beach on Wednesday after hearing the news regarding the arrests of Jallikattu protesters in Alanganallur in Madurai district. Along with Marina Beach, protests were also held in different parts of the state.

The police on Tuesday night disconnected the power supply at Marina Beach. Despite that, the protesters continued their protest with the help of their mobile phone lights in the night.

Actor Vijay visited Marina Beach to support the protest and in a video message, Vijay stated that,”Law was not created to rob people off their tradition and rights but to protect it. Jallikattu is every Tamilian’s identity. Those who are protesting against the ban on Jallikattu are united by the feeling that they are Tamilians but not out of compulsion or political pressure. I bow down to each and everyone of them.”

Others to visit Marina Beach include Suriya Sivakumar and Vishal. “The group called PETA which won in the court of law by carrying out a campaign of lies that Jallikattu was inimical to bulls has lost in the people’s court.”It is paradoxical to see those aiding extinction of native breeds talk about cruelty to bulls,” Suriya said.

The incident began on Monday when thousands of youth who were protesting in Alanganallur in Madurai district were taken into custody by the police after the protest extended overnight. Angered by these arrests, the villagers came out on the streets of Alanganallur.

On January 11, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to promulgate an ordinance to resume the sport of Pongal but no result came out of the letter.

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