Withdraw protests, will issue ordinance: TN CM Panneerselvam
Synopsis
Protests demanding Jallikattu swelled on the streets of Tamil Nadu The CM stated that a draft of the oridinance has been submitted to the Union Home Ministry
Seeking to calm the ever-rising storm of protests, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam announced that the state of Tamil Nadu would consult the Centre and issue an ordinance of its own, lifting the ban on Jallikattu.
The CM stated that a draft of the ordinance has been submitted to the Union Home Ministry, and the ordinance would be issued 'in a day or two', after getting the President's assent.
Protests demanding Jallikattu swelled on the streets of Tamil Nadu after agitators rejected statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and the state shut down today.
In a virtual replay of the anti-Hindi agitation of 1960s, lakhs of students and youths took leadership of the peaceful protests across the state, while agitators in Madurai, the main area which has been hosting jallikattu sport for centuries, stopped trains pressing for their demand.
Businesses, theatres, schools and transporters have declared a day-long strike supporting the demand for immediate permission to allow Jallikattu. More eminent personalities like chess wizard Viswanathan Anand and music maestro A R Rahman extended their support. Rahman will sit on a day-long fast today as well.
On a day of hectic developments, Modi expressed inability on the part of the Centre in promulgating an ordinance in the conduct of the bull-taming sport but expressed support for steps taken by Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Chief Minister Panneerselvam, who met Modi at his residence in Delhi, told reporters later that the state government in conjunction with the Centre would take steps for holding the event.The Chief Minister deferred his return to Chennai and held consultations with legal experts including state Additional Advocate General (AAG) Subramonium Prasad.
After the Chief Minister pressed for immediate steps for promulgation of an ordinance, the Prime Minister told him that the Supreme Court was yet to give its verdict on the notification of the government on the issue but the Centre would support any step taken by the state government on this.
At the epicentre of the agitation Marina, the protesters rejected the statements of Modi and Panneerselvam saying these were known excuses and disappointing.
On the third night of the protests, the students including those from schools, youth and women expressed their determination not to leave their protest sites unless the age-old sport is allowed.