Supporters of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) gathered near the collector's office in Chennai on Friday (January 13) demanding that the Centre should pass an ordinance on the bull-taming sport of Jallikattu during Pongal festivities, which begins on Saturday (January 14). The Opposition party called state-wide protests after the Supreme Court on Thursday (Jan 12) decided against permitting the popular bull-taming sport, which is a top draw during the celebrations. DMK working president MK Stalin and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi were also present on the spot.
Also read: All you need to know about Jallikattu and why it was banned
"Jallikattu is our tradition but now the Centre and state government have failed to get us the permission to conduct it. The Centre should bring an ordinance immediately and the state government should back it," MK Stalin, who was recently elevated as the party's working president as his nonagenarian father M Karunandhi, the former CM, has not been keeping well.
Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Student groups stage protest at Marina Beach against the ban on #Jallikattu pic.twitter.com/GJEnplt2EP
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 13, 2017
'Centre can't pass ordinance on sub-judice matter'
The apex court, meanwhile, said that the Centre cannot pass an ordinance on the matter since it is sub judice. The Supreme Court has reportedly drafted the judgement on Jallikattu, which was banned in 2015 after animal right activists protested.
The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazagam is not silent on the matter either. Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who took over following the demise of J Jayalalithaa in December, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi also seeking an ordinance to be passed to allow staging of the sport.
Many people across the state were arrested on Thursday for holding Jallikattu despite the Supreme Court banning it.
