CHENNAI: The DMK government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, principal opposition party AIADMK, deposed AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and BJP state president K Annamalai today claimed credit for the verdict of the Supreme Court which allowed the conducting of Jallikattu. The reaction of Jallikattu organisations which fought for resuming the traditional sport is yet to come.
Chief Minister MK Stalin, in his tweet, said the SC verdict is historic and the apex court has upheld the ordinance promulgated by the Tamil Nadu government is valid. Stating that a big Jallikattu Ground is being built in Alanganallur and in the forthcoming January, Stalin said, "Let us celebrate the Jallikattu during the Pongal festival."
In New Delhi, just after the apex court pronounced its verdict, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy said in the recent past all judges in the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court did not give a unanimous verdict in a case. "Today, all the five judges on the bench gave their unanimous verdict. The Tamil Nadu government has engaged the best lawyers in this case and put forth the arguments effectively," he added.
The minister also said no cruelty was inflicted to the bulls engaged in Jallikattu and the Tamil Nadu government has been ensuring the safety of the bulls.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters at the residence of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, former minister C Vijaya Baskar said the ban on Jallikattu was imposed in 2011 during the UPA government. The Ordinance for resuming Jallikattu was promulgated during the AIADMK regime and Jallikattu resumed after three years. He also explained the sustained efforts taken by the AIADMK regime for resuming Jallikattu before the apex court.
Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam expressed happiness over the SC verdict and recalled how he took personal efforts to resume the traditional sport when there was a huge protest going on in Marina in 2016.
Meanwhile, BJP state president K Annamalai in a statement here, said, "On behalf of the BJP's state unit and people of Tamil Nadu, we thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his persistent effort to ensure the ban on the cultural sport of TN, Jallikattu was lifted in its entirety. " He also recalled how the previous Congress government banned Jallikattu and how it was removed during the NDA government later.