Centre gives nod for draft of proposal submitted by State; ordinance likely to be promulgated soon

The Centre on Friday cleared the Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to promulgate an ordinance to hold Jallikattu.

The State government had proposed to issue an ordinance in a day or two to allow Jallikattu, a bull taming sport. Since the subject falls in the Concurrent list of the Constitution, it was mandatory to get a nod from the Centre, a senior Home Ministry official said on Friday.

The Home Ministry sent the draft submitted by the State to the Environment and Law Ministries for their response. On Friday, the Environment Ministry sent its reply, and the Home Ministry gave its clearance.

“The ordinance has been cleared by the Home Ministry and the State government can promulgate it by introducing it either as a Bill in the Assembly or the State Cabinet can clear it. It doesn’t have to go to the President of India for his assent since his powers are vested with the Home Ministry,” said the official.

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet is expected to clear the ordinance and recommend it to the Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao for promulgation. Mr. Rao is scheduled to arrive in Chennai from Mumbai on Saturday evening.

Centre for solution

Earlier in the day, Environment Minister Anil Dave told reporters that Centre wanted a “permanent” solution to the Jallikattu issue and a final decision would be taken within a “day or two.”

Also on Friday, 46 AIADMK parliamentarians met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and submitted a memorandum, stating that the ban on Jallikattu was against the fundamental, religious and cultural rights of the people of Tamil Nadu, especially when such bulls and cows are treated as a part of the farmers’ families. AIADMK MP M Thambidurai said Mr. Singh assured them that the file would be processed as early as possible so that ordinance could be promulgated in the two or three days.

“Today the Home Ministry has received a proposal from the TN government. The entire proposal is under consideration. I am sure within the shortest time we will be able to reach the final decision…,” Mr. Singh said.

Rajnath blames UPA

Mr. Singh attacked the former UPA government for including bulls in the list of animals prohibited from being exhibited or trained as performing animals in 2011 and blamed the decision for the current protests over jallikattu.

"Nothing would have happened if in 2011 somebody had not put the name of bulls in the list of performing animals. We would not have been sitting here. It all started in 2011. That created the whole problem. Those who are asking xyz questions, they should know where they were at different moments," he said.

He also said that during the meeting of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, the latter had appreciated the sentiments and cultural values of different cultural sports particularly jallikattu.

Mr. Panneerselvam said on Friday that the State government will amend a Central act on Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to allow conduct of jallikattu and requested the environment ministry to de-notify bulls from the prohibited category.