With just few days left for Pongal and with no legal relief coming from the Supreme Court for conducting jallikattu, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to consider promulgating an ordinance to remove the legal hurdles that block conducting of jallikattu.
"Considering the groundswell of sentiment and support for the conduct of jallikattu all over Tamil Nadu, this is an issue on which the Government of India must act with maximum despatch," Mr. Panneerselvam said in his letter to Mr. Modi.
It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had in 2014 banned conducting of jallikattu and further struck down the Act passed by the State government.
While the State government took efforts to remove the ban, the Centre promulgated an ordinance in January last year. However, jallikattu couldn't be conducted last year too following an interim stay by the apex court.
Meanwhile, a review petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government in May 2014 was dismissed by the plea in November last year.
Referring to memorandums given to the Prime Minister in this regard, through which it was urged that necessary measures should be taken for conducting jallikattu, the Chief Minister said, "There has been no action yet from the Government of India on the suggestions of the State Government."
Mr. Panneerselvam recalled that both he and his predecessor, the late Jayalalithaa, had put forth a demand to Modi that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests “should clearly denotify” bulls as performing animals from a 2011 notification by the Ministry.
The other demand was to “suitably amend Section 11(3) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 by introducing a new clause ‘f’ in sub-section (3) of Section 11 specifically exempting Jallikattu in addition to other exemptions already provided in the Act,” he said.
However, there has been “no action yet from government of India” on the aforesaid suggestions, the Chief Minister said.
The Supreme Court in November last had dismissed the plea of the state government, seeking review of its 2014 judgement banning use of bulls for jallikattu events in the state.
Political parties, including DMK, have been pressing the Centre and state government to take steps to hold the sport coinciding with Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival, this year.
Protests have also been held across the state, including here, by Jallikattu supporters, demanding that the sport be held this year coinciding with Pongal.
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