Jallikattu ordinance: Tamil Nadu Governor reaching Chennai today

With protests continuing across the state, the ruling AIADMK party has also warned Centre against ignoring regional aspirations of the Tamil people.

Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao. (PTI File Photo)

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu, is reaching Chennai today in the backdrop of the Centre clearing the state government's proposal to promulgate an ordinance for holding 'Jallikattu'— the bull-taming sport banned by Supreme Court.

"Rao will land at Chennai around 4 p.m.," a Raj Bhavan official has indicated.

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet is expected to clear the ordinance and recommend it to the Governor for promulgation.

Yesterday, the Centre, moving swiftly, cleared a draft ordinance to allow Jallikattu, paving the way for Tamil Nadu to promulgate it to end the widespread protests that have paralysed the state for the last five days. Since the subject falls in the concurrent list of the Constitution, it is mandatory to get a nod from the Centre.

The Union ministries of Home, Law and Environment had cleared the ordinance last night. Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam had met the Prime Minister on Thursday.

The pro-jallikattu protests have continued for the fifth day on Saturday across Tamil Nadu with the youth and students continuing to stay put at the venues, including the Marina, the epicentre of the statewide stir.

Jallikattu supporters also staged rail blockade at Madurai even as train services continued to remain affected due to the ongoing stir.

The Southern Railway announced the cancellation of some trains besides diversion of others. Protests demanding the lifting of jallikattu ban were also held at Alanganallur, the hub of the jallikattu event in Madurai district, Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari and other parts of south Tamil Nadu, police said.

Some youths also squatted on the rail tracks in Madurai and talks between the protesters and railway and police officials were held. Train services were cancelled. In Salem junction also the protesters squatted on rail tracks.

According to reports from Theni district, a group of people conducted cockfight, which is also banned, as part of their protests. Cockfights were a part of Tamil culture and the basic right of people, they said.

In Rameswaram, fishermen decided to boycott fishing till the ban on Jallikattu was lifted.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK has warned the Centre that if it continues to "ignore" the regional aspirations and interests of people of Tamil Nadu then it will have dangerous implications.

After heading an AIADMK MPs delegation to President Pranab Mukherjee, AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping the state government come out with an ordinance on the Jallikattu issue but complained that the Centre was "ignoring" the state on a number of issues raised with him and his government.

"One nation, one tax may be good for GST but the concept of one language, one culture is not good for federalism. The Prime Minister talks of cooperative federalism but what is cooperative federalism if you are not able to address our
Issues,” he said.

"We (Tamil Nadu government) have been raising various issues like the Cauvery, Mullaiperiyar, Kachatheevu, Tamil fishermen, Sri Lankan Tamils cause and Jallikattu which symbolises Tamil culture. Tamil culture is also Indian culture. It is a warning to the central government that please don't step aside from the regional aspirations and interests," he told reporters.

(With PTI inputs)