Chennai: Citing the Central government's refusal to accept the Supreme Court verdict to form Cauvery Management Board, Naam Thamizhar party leader P. Seeman on Monday said his party would defy the apex court's ban on jallikattu during this Pongal season.
He said the Central and Karnataka governments had refused to obey the rulings of the Supreme Court on formation of the Cauvery Management Board. Tamil Nadu government alone is respecting whatever verdict given by the apex court, which had acted against the culture of Tamils by banning jallikattu.
Speaking to the media here, the director-turned-politician said the ban on the traditional sport of Tamils had hurt Tamil people. So, the centre should come forward to issue an ordinance to allow the conduct of jallikattu. If the centre failed to issue the ordinance, Naam Thamizhar party would defy the ban and hold the sport.
Alleging that the ban is a conspiracy to annihilate the local breed of cattle in Tamil Nadu and encourage the use of foreign breeds, Seeman said nothing should be done ignoring farmers and agriculture.
Joining the call to defy the ban, P. Maniarasan, leader of Tamil Desiya Periyakkam, a pro-Tamil outfit urged farmers to defy the ban and conduct jallikattu in the villages as a sign of protest against the Supreme Court verdict.
“The bulls are being used for farming activities in Tamil Nadu and asked if such use of bulls would also be banned as animal torture. What about the use of cow's milk which is essentially meant for its young one?”, he asked.
Co-ordinator of Tamil Nadu Farmers Unions Federation P.R. Pandian suggested holding jallikattu in the name 'Manjuvirattu' and asked the state government to allow the sport in such a name.
