Chennai: As protests in favour of Jallikattu grew in strength across Tamil Nadu, AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala on Wednesday announced that she had directed AIADMK MPs to meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press for ordinance to facilitate holding the sport that reflected the Tamils’ culture and tradition.
In a statement here, she also said the state government would move a resolution in the Assembly during the session beginning Monday, asking the Centre to get the ban on jallikattu revoked.
Interestingly, her statement had no mention of Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam’s trip to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Modi Thursday morning to press for immediate promulgation of an ordinance to conduct Jallikattu.
Ms Sasikala in her statement also resolved to “rein in” Peta, which has been opposing jallikattu, through legal recourse so as to ensure it does not indulge in targeting Tamil culture and tradition. Peta has its roots in foreign land, she said.
She said the AIADMK MPs would meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Modi to convey the “anguish” of the people of Tamil Nadu that is being displayed on the streets for the past few days and to demand immediate promulgation of the ordinance.
Accusing the erstwhile UPA Government of derailing jallikattu by notifying bulls in the list of performing animals, Sasikala said, “It is a known fact that the UPA Government was responsible for the ban on jallikattu…Tamils across the world would also know that the Congress and DMK which were in power in the State and at the Centre did not take any efforts to ensure conduct of jallikattu and were instrumental in Peta getting recognition in the country”.
Appreciating the protests by students, she said: “I praise the students and youngsters who are protesting without causing any trouble to others. They are following non-violence… Laws are meant to serve the people, the people are not meant to serve the laws.”
