Jallikattu ban: Tamil Nadu CM to meet Modi today to demand an ordinance
Chennai: Caving into relentless pressure, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Wednesday night left for New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand promulgation of an ordinance for conduct of Jallikattu. Earlier, he had made a passionate plea to protesting students to call off their agitation.
Mr Panneerslvam, along with AIADMK MPs, will meet Mr Modi at his office in New Delhi on Thursday at 10.30 am and brief him about the students' protest in Tamil Nadu, which is gathering strength by each passing day. He would convey to the PM the sentiments of the people of the state on the ban on jallikattu imposed by the Supreme Court.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening even as the students’ protest at the Marina Beach entered a second day, Mr Panneerselvam said the power to issue an ordinance to allow conduct of jallikattu rests only with the central Government and the State government has been taking efforts to bring this about.
“The peaceful protests by students and the general public have demonstrated our resolve to give voice for protecting our culture and identity. The Tamil Nadu Government, which is imbibed with the sentiments of the people, will continue its efforts to ensure that jallikattu is held,” the CM said in a statement. He said he will be meeting the Prime Minister on Thursday to demand immediate promulgation of an ordinance to allow jallikattu. “Hence, I appeal to people who are involved in the protests to give up their agitation,” Mr Panneerselvam said in the statement. As protesters targeted him and his government along with the Centre for “inaction” on jallikattu issue, the Chief Minister pointed out steps taken by his predecessor late Jayalalithaa.
“TN Government placed strong arguments in favour of jallikattu in the SC and I am hopeful that the apex court would pronounce a verdict in favour of us. If jallikattu has to be held before the verdict , an ordinance can be brought only by the Centre,” Mr Panneerselvam said.
