CHENNAI: Several DMK leaders, including the party’s working president MK Stalin and Rajya Sabha Member Kanimozhi, courted arrest on Friday after blocking trains at many places across Tamil Nadu demanding that the Centre immediately promulgate an ordinance to restore jallikattu.
Accompanied by J Anbazhagan, MLA, and other senior leaders, Stalin led a rally towards the Mambalam railway station in the morning. Breaking the resistance put up by the cops denying entry, the partymen barged into the station premises before squatting on the tracks blocking the movement of a Chengalpattu-bound Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) train courting arrest.
However, within a few hours, the cops released all those who were detained.
Similarly, the party’s women’s wing secretary and MP Kanimozhi led her partymen in staging rail roko at the busy Egmore railway station. Deputy general secretary of DMK VP Duraisamy, former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and DMK Chennai East district secretary PK Sekar Babu, MLA, were also present at the stir.
Talking to reporters, Kanimozhi said the Centre and the State governments had no other option but to facilitate holding of jallikattu now.
“The Centre and the State government cannot but facilitate conducting jallikattu this season itself by taking necessary legal measures,” she said, besides stating that no government could continue to function without heeding to the voice of the people of Tamil Nadu.
Former minister and Deputy Leader of Opposition Durai Murugan and DMK Chennai South district secretary Ma. Subramanian, MLA, courted arrest after blocking movement of trains at Saidapet railway station.