As BJP supports defying Jallikattu ban, AIADMK left alone to uphold law

CHENNAI: As pro-jallikattu protests by students and youth reached a feverish pitch on Pongal eve, with emotional threats to defy the Supreme Court ban on jallikattu, parties including the BJP ruling at the centre vied with each other and supported defying the ban.

With state BJP leaders backing the protesters defying the ban, the AIADMK appears to be left alone. Although, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and AIADMK leaders are silent, police action has confirmed that the state government has chosen to go by the rule of law and preempt attempts to defy the ban. Reacting to the police action, AIADMK spokesperson 'Avadi' Kumar said "A government elected under the Indian Constitution could not allow an event defying the Supreme Court order as it is a violation of the Constitution".

State BJP leaders, at the receiving end of people's wrath with students and youth continuing to lash out at them, wilted under the mounting pressure and openly came out in support of violating the Supreme Court order.

While DMK working president M.K. Stalin led a protest warning of a regime change in Tamil Nadu, PMK and CPI hit out at the BJP government for not issuing an ordinance to hold jallikattu.CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan condemned the demand by Swamy and Peta to dismiss Tamil Nadu government and said it is an assault on democracy and a government elected by the people. Besides, exhibiting the culture of Tamils, the sport is a way to nurture the bulls in a healthy way, he said and added that those who are close to market economy could not understand Tamil traditions and its roots, he added.

Severely embarrassed by Swamy's demand, BJP MP L. Ganesan dismissed it as a personal opinion of Subramanian Swamy. Ganesan also asserted that there is nothing wrong if the ban is defied and added that only the government could not organise the sport violating the order.

Going a step further, BJP national secretary H.Raja announced that he would defy the ban and send two bulls reared by him to take part in Manjuvirattu (bull chasing) in Karaikudi.BJP state general secretary Vanathi Seenivasan said "I welcome holding jallikattu, even if the ban is defied. I am ready to take part and face legal action." PMK founder S.Ramadoss declared his party's support to defiance of the court ban.