Jallikattu ban to go as ordinance gets govt nod

The central government yesterday evening gave its nod to the Tamil Nadu government’s ordinance to enable holding of Jallikattu, as the southern state saw massive protests in support of the bull-taming sport.
Officials in New Delhi said the home ministry cleared the ordinance after the law ministry nod to the draft ordinance of the Tamil Nadu government.
They said the centre’s concurrence paved the way for the promulgation of the ordinance in Tamil Nadu.
Amid massive protests demanding the holding of Jallikattu in his state, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam told reporters in the national capital earlier yesterday that his government will promulgate the ordinance for facilitating Jallikattu.
The chief minister said the state government had drafted an amendment to some provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and sent it to the central government.
He said the ordinance will be promulgated after governor C H Vidyasagar Rao approves it, following which Jallikattu can be held in the state.
Though the chief minister urged the demonstrators to withdraw their protests, the swarming mass of youths at Chennai’s Marina Beach and in Madurai declared they will end their demonstration only after the sport is held.
“We will call off the protest only after Jallikattu is held in Tamil Nadu. The measure announced by the chief minister seems to be a stop-gap arrangement. The permanent solution is that the central government by a notification remove bulls from the list of performing animals in The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,” a protester said.
Even several hours after Panneerselvam’s announcement, the number of protesters at Marina beach continued to swell. In several localities groups of youths carrying placards assembled while beating drums. Many young people, including couples with children in tow, gathered at the Marina Beach.
“Jallikattu is Tamil Nadu’s identity and pride. We want Jallikattu,” Venkatesh, employed in a private company, said while moving towards Marina with his family. His daughter and son were carrying a ‘We want Jallikattu’ placard.
“The protest is the culmination of the stand taken by the central government on various issues concerning Tamil Nadu, like the Cauvery river water sharing, attacks on Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan navy, Jallikattu,” R Arul, secretary, Pasumai Thayagam, a non-government organisation (NGO), said.
Meanwhile, the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) held protests on rail tracks in Tamil Nadu and its working president M K Stalin was detained by police for some time.
In some districts schools were also closed while shops downed their shutters across the state in support of Jallikattu.
The Supreme Court in May 2014 banned Jallikattu, saying that bulls cannot be used as performing animals including bullock-cart races.