Chennai: Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who introduced the bill to amend the centre’s PCA Act, asserted that it would pave way to remove all the hurdles for jallikattu which could be conducted anytime by the people at any place hereafter.
He explained that a state government could enact a law against a central law and it should have the President’s approval.
The previous DMK government’s Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Regulation Act, which was struck down by the Supreme Court did not have President’s approval, he pointed out. Panneerselvam also said a central ordinance was not possible immediately since a notification issued by the centre to facilitate jallikattu is pending before the Supreme Court. Amending sections 2,3,11, 22,27 and 28 of the PAC act would enable the conduct of jallikattu in Tamil Nadu, he said.
Pointing out that the origin of the jallikattu ban was the action of the UPA government in which the DMK was a constituent, he said the UPA government included bulls in the list of performing animals through a notification on 11 July 2011. Based on the notification, the Supreme Court banned jallikattu on May 7, 2014.
The Union environment ministry issued a notification on January 7, 2016, to allow jallikattu, but it was stayed by the Supreme Court. Though the hearing is over, final verdict had not been given. When Chief Minister sought an ordinance from the Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to support the state government’s action since the case against the Centre’s notification is pending.
A state government could enact a law against a Central law for the state alone and it should have the approval of the President, he said. So, it was decided to amend the Centre’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act at the state level, he said. He said the Tamil Nadu Assembly session begins only on January 23 and so it was decided to bring an ordinance on January 21, he reasoned.
All the hurdles for jallikattu had been removed through the ordinance and jallikattu could be held at any place on dates fixed by the people.
