Stalin blames AIADMK for ban on Jallikattu

Stalin recalled that in 2010, Supreme Court laid down stringent rules for the conduct of jallikattu. The DMK, then in power, followed all the instructions and enabled the smooth conduct of the event and prevented the apex court from banning the sport.   

When AIADMK came to power, the rules were floated and hence the Supreme Court sent a two-member committee to oversee the way in which jallikattu was conducted in the state. The Committee gave an adverse report and said that the guidelines laid by the apex court were not followed. Following that the Supreme Court had banned jallikattu, he added.  

“The ruling party because of its carelessness was responsible for the ban on jallikattu, ”he charged and added that if DMK was in power such a situation would not have arisen.  In 2015, when DMK chief M Karunanidhi announced a protest for the sport, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan promised him that steps would be taken to conduct it in 2016, Stalin said and quipped it was already 2017.   

Taking a dig at the BJP leader, he quoted the famous dialogue of comedian Vadivelu, varum aana varadhu, and said the Union Minister has been speaking like the comedian on the jallikattu issue. He said the state was misdirected by the officials.  An Ordinance would have ensured the conduct of jallikattu.

The DMK organised protest at Alanganallur saw the participation of leaders from several political parties in the state. Apart from the DMK and its ally Congress, leaders and cadre of the All India Forward Block too took part. 

The political leaders demanded the Union government to take necessary steps to conduct jallikattu in the state. Former Ministers from DMK including Poongothai Aladi Aruna, Geetha Jeevan, DMK District Secretaries from Southern districts such as N. Periyasamy, Thoothukudi District Secretary and MLAs from DMK and Congress from Southern districts participated in the protest. Apart from them a large number of cadres from DMK, Congress and All India Forward Block participated in the protest. 

Former Minister Dindigul I Periyasamy questioned the Centre on not removing the bulls from the list of protected animals. Why is Union government maintaining double standards in jallikattu issue questioned Periyasamy who also claimed that it is an easier step to remove the bulls from the list of protected animals. He further said that the state government was not functioning for the past 8 months. 

Similarly, former Union Minister Sudarshana Nachiappan said that it is the duty of the Union government to make sure that necessary changes are made and jallikattu is conducted this year. Other leaders of allied parties such as former Usilampatti MLA Kathiravan too demanded the state government to conduct jallikattu and claimed that DMK was the only party which always fights for the rights of Tamil people.

Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan made it clear that it was the DMK-Congress alliance that transferred bulls to the list of protected animals. The move has been solely responsible for the present mess in conducting jallikattu, he said.

The place of protest should not be the vadivasal, but it should be New Delhi where the voices would be heard, he told the people of Alanganallur and Palamedu who were protesting for the conduct of the event in their respective villages in the past few weeks. Mocking the protest of DMK and Congress at Alanganallur, Radhakrishnan said “it was they who first shifted the bulls to protected animals and it is sad that they are conducting protest now hoodwinking people.” He added that Congress should seek an apology from Tamil people for banning jallikattu.  He expressed confidence that the efforts of BJP to conduct the sport this Pongal will yield some positive result.