A delegation of AIADMK MPs is to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi today seeking permission to go ahead with Jallikattu during Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu.
This comes a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam wrote a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to promulgate an ordinance to resume the sport on Pongal this year.
With a view for animal welfare, the Supreme Court on May 2014 banned the bull fighting sport.
Panneerselvam in his letter said that taking in count the groundswell of sentiment and support for the conduct of Jallikattu all over Tamil Nadu, the government of India must act with maximum dispatch.
“Given that Pongal festival, which holds great importance to the people of Tamil Nadu, is less than a week away and Jallikattu is an integral part of the Pongal festivities, considering the urgency of the issue, Government of India should consider promulgating an ordinance removing the legal impediments, enabling the conduct of Jallikattu during Pongal, 2017,” he said in the letter.
The other demand was to “suitably amend Section 11(3) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 by introducing a new clause ‘f’ in sub-section (3) of Section 11 specifically exempting Jallikattu in addition to other exemptions already provided in the Act,” he said.
The Supreme Court in November last year had dismissed the plea of the Tamil Nadu government, seeking review of its 2014 judgement banning use of bulls for jallikattu events in the state.