Madurai: The DMDK leader Vijayakanth urged the AIADMK government to press the Centre to immediately pass a special law in Parliament to conduct jallikattu this Pongal.
Addressing a protest meeting demanding lifting of the ban against jallikattu at Alanganallur near Madurai on Monday, he said that when the apex court had passed an order for setting up the Cauvery Management Board, the Karnataka government had not followed it. “Why then is the Tamil Nadu government alone shying away, citing the Apex court ban against the ancient sport?” he asked.
“People who have been claiming that bull taming is cruelty, are not urging a ban on camel, elephant and horse racing conducted in other states in the country,” he said. Demanding a ban on PETA, Vijayakanth asked Union minister Menaka Gandhi to come here and examine how jallikattu is conducted in rural Tamil Nadu. Stating that rural people treat bulls as their family members, he said that he also had that experience. Nearly 400 DMDK cadres participated in the protest.
