CHENNAI: AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran and NTK chief coordinator on Saturday condemned the remarks made by TVK MLA MV Karuppaiah of Sholavandan constituency that Jallikattu was harming the youth. In a post on X, Dhinakaran said Jallikattu was a traditional sport closely linked to Tamil culture and the farming community. He said the MLA’s remarks were highly condemnable, especially as the Sholavandan constituency includes Alanganallur, which is known worldwide for its Jallikattu event.
Dhinakaran questioned whether the TVK government was planning to impose restrictions on Jallikattu in the future. He recalled that people, including students and youngsters, had held protests across Tamil Nadu, from Alanganallur to Chennai’s Marina, to protect the traditional sport. He also questioned why the MLA’s remarks had not been removed from the Assembly records and asked whether it was a planned move.
Dhinakaran demanded that TVK leadership clearly state its stand on Jallikattu. He urged the Assembly Speaker to remove the remarks from the records and asked the MLA to withdraw his statement and apologise. Seeman also echoed similar sentiments and demanded an apology from the MLA.