Regional

TN government clears Jallikattu ordinance

jallikattuChennai: A day after the Central government gave its nod, the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday cleared an ordinance to enable the holding of popular bull-taming sport Jallikattu in the state.The ordinance was signed by the Governor Ch VidyaSagar Rao. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act will be amended through this ordinance.

Thousands of students and youths have been staging protest demonstrations on Marina Beach and at other parts of the state to demand holding of Jallikattu. Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said that all the hurdles were cleared to hold Jallikattu through the Ordinance. “As a follow up to the meeting with Prime Minister on January 19, to enable the conduct of Jallikattu, the Government of Tamil Nadu issued an Ordinance after obtaining the necessary prior instructions of the President of India as envisaged under Article 213 of the Constitution,” Panneerselvam said in a statement.

He said the Ordinance was promulgated on Saturday by the government and Jallikattu would be held all over the state with all necessary safeguards.Panneerselvam said the act will be passed in the coming Assembly session on January 23. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping get the ordinance within a day.