Jallikattu row: Stalin hails SC ruling, BJP thanks PM for lifting ban

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Chennai, May 18 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin expressed his appreciation for the Supreme Court's approval of the bull-taming sport 'jallikattu,' stating that it was a verdict worthy of being "engraved in gold in the history" of the state.

Stalin announced that a "victory event" would be celebrated during the January 2024 Pongal season in light of the apex court upholding the Tamil Nadu law permitting the sport, according to a tweet he posted. The BJP's state unit attributed the removal of the ban to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "persistent efforts." The DMK praised party leader Stalin and his administration for the favorable judgment, crediting their presentation of "strong" arguments in support of jallikattu in court.

A five-judge Constitution bench led by Justice K M Joseph delivered a unanimous verdict on jallikattu today. Stalin tweeted, "The verdict delivered by the Supreme Court bench that there is no ban on holding jallikattu, a sport reflecting Tamils' bravery and culture, is worth engraving in gold in the history of Tamil Nadu." He noted that this was a "significant victory" in the legal battle pursued by the Tamil Nadu government.

"We are constructing a massive jallikattu arena in Alanganallur (in Madurai). We will celebrate a victory event during Pongal" in January 2024, he added. Applauding the Stalin-led government, the DMK's official Twitter handle included the hashtag #DMKSavesTamilPride.

Also read: Jallikattu row: SC upholds Tamil Nadu govt's law allowing bull-taming sport

"Jallikattu," also known as "eruthazhuvuthal," is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival in January.

Meanwhile, BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai tweeted, "On behalf of @BJP4TamilNadu & the people of Tamil Nadu, we thank our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi avl for his persistent effort to ensure the ban on the cultural sport of TN, Jallikattu, was lifted in its entirety."

He mentioned that the notification to ban the sport was introduced in 2011 during the UPA 2 regime by then Union Minister Jairam Ramesh. In 2016, the NDA government published a gazette notification allowing Jallikattu, although the SC stayed the government order, thereby prolonging the ban, as he recalled.

"Hon FM Smt @nsitharaman avl, after the stay of government order in SC, requested the State government of Tamil Nadu to pass an ordinance. The same was done after much persuasion & deliberation in January 2017," he said. Annamalai further stated that in December 2022, the Centre informed the top court that the presidential assent to the ordinance was supported by necessary documents, presenting every aspect of the case. "If there was anyone who stood for Jallikattu from the beginning to now, it was our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi avl," Annamalai asserted.

(With inputs from PTI)