Does CM Vijay back party MLA’s jallikattu jibe, asks AIADMK

CHENNAI: The AIADMK on Saturday condemned the remarks made by the ruling party's Sholavandan MLA, MV Karuppaiah, about jallikattu in the Assembly, calling them derogatory.

The Opposition party demanded that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay apologise and clarify the government's stand on the traditional sport, reminding him of his earlier support for the Marina protest.

In a party statement, the AIADMK said it was shocking that the MLA, whose Sholavandan constituency includes the world-famous jallikattu venue of Alanganallur, had made such remarks about a sport deeply rooted in Tamil culture and heritage.

The party said jallikattu, also known historically as "eru thazhuvuthal", reflected the thousands-of-years-old relationship between Tamils and cattle dating back to the Sangam era. It questioned whether the MLA could have made the remarks without understanding the cultural significance of the traditional practice.

Recalling the massive student and youth-led protests, the AIADMK said the then AIADMK government had pressed the Union government to secure the continuation of jallikattu.

Questioning why the remarks had not been expunged from the Assembly records, the party alleged that the ruling government may have a hidden agenda regarding the future of jallikattu.

It demanded that Chief Minister Vijay apologise for his MLA's remarks and make a clear statement in the Assembly on the government's position on jallikattu. The AIADMK also referred to a video released by Vijay during the 2017 jallikattu protests and urged him to revisit his earlier stand on the issue.