MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to promulgate a Central ordinance facilitating the conduct of jallikattu forever. This was essential to dispel the apprehension of jallikattu supporters who have rejected the ordinance promulgated by Tamil Nadu on Saturday, he claimed.
“I am afraid that if immediate steps are not taken by your Government, the resentment of Tamils may turn into wrath and anger against the Union Government. With all goodwill, I would request you to take immediate action to meet the demand of the Tamils, so that jallikkattu could be conducted without any barrier in the future,” he said in his letter.
Recalling the briefing about the Tamil cultural aspect of jallikattu he had given the Prime Minister last month, the MDMK leader accused the PETA and Animal Welfare Board of India of having launched an onslaught on the traditional sport and the sentiments of Tamils. He also charged the Congress and the DMK with fishing in troubled waters after having been responsible for the inclusion of bulls — “reared in houses along with wild animals like lion, wolf, leopard, elephant and tiger” — in the list of performing animals.
Mr. Vaiko felt that people’s apprehension about a likely ban on jallikattu in the future was justifiable going by the past experience.
Hence, he appealed to the Centre to promulgate an ordinance to delete bulls from the list of wild animals.
