Jallikattu ban: Call off agitation, Tamilisai, Ponnar appeal to protesters
Chennai: Union Minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan and BJP state president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan appealed to protesters including those on Marina Beach here to withdraw their agitation and assured that the state’s ordinance would ensure a lasting solution.
“The ordinance would see the light of the day… our Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told CM O. Panneerselvam that it would be appropriate for the state government to promulgate the ordinance and had said he would totally support and cooperate,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said.
Refuting allegations, he said Mr. Modi was instrumental in ensuring the TN government issues the jallikattu ordinance and thanked the Prime Minister “on behalf of Tamils” for this. Thanking those who have struggled for this “historic moment,” the BJP leader said he shed “tears of joy” seeing the sport being conducted in the state on Sunday.
Stating that the historic agitation by TN youngsters and college students to save our tradition and culture has caught the attention of the entire world, Dr. Tamilisai said the way they conducted it peacefully so far is commendable.
“It served the purpose to fast track an ordinance with necessary legal safeguards from Centre and State governments to celebrate jallikattu today. We are happy to see jallikattu in several places across the state but disappointed to note still agitation is going on against holding jallikattu because this ordinance is not permanent law for future which is not true,” she said.
It is common knowledge that ordinance enacted will have to be followed by necessary follow up enactment in either Assembly or Parliament. The CM of TN has promised that this will be a permanent law endorsed by TN Assembly session soon, she explained and hoped that “brothers and sisters” will see reason behind the ordinance and appreciate the prompt response from both Centre and State governments to address their main goal.
Agitation is not in good taste
One of the notable organisers of this agitation, Hip Hop Aadhi, had openly declared that the agitation of late is deviating from the main objective because it is now infiltrated by vested interest resulting in insult to national flag and use of abusive comments against the PM and Tamil Nadu CM. “This has pained him to dissociate from the agitation henceforth. Similar sentiments are expressed and endorsed by actor Vivek and others,” she said.
Underscoring the importance of calling off the agitation and restoring normalcy in the state in the interest of common man, students and parents to continue their routine work, she thanked the state government, police and officials for handling the agitation peacefully.
