The ban on holding of bull-taming sport 'Jallikattu' in Tamil Nadu during the Pongal festival next month may be lifted, BJP leader and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan has indicated.
"I am confident that we will be getting permission to hold Jallikattu on Pongal day based on the talks held for the past one month... Our efforts have the support of the Prime Minister," he said in a letter to DMK chief M Karunanidhi.
Traditionally held during the four-day Pongal celebrations in mid-January in several parts of the state, the sport is hugely popular in southern districts.
Responding to a letter of the DMK chief, Radhakrishnan said he called on his ministerial colleague Prakash Javdekar, under whose ministry the matter falls, alongwith Rajasekar of 'Jallikattu Peravai', a forum aimed at preserving the traditional bull-taming sport of Tamil Nadu, and sought steps for conducting the sport, which was banned by the Supreme Court last year.
"Javdekar held deliberations with officials of his (Environment & Forest) ministry on December 22 on ways to hold Jallikattu," Radhakrishnan, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, said in the letter, copy of which was released to media here today by DMK.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had yesterday urged the Centre to introduce a Bill to amend the laws to conduct Jallikattu.
In the letter to the Prime Minister, she had said Tamil harvest festival of Pongal was fast approaching (next month) and that "it is very important that the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu, who have a deep attachment to the conduct of the traditional event of Jallikattu, are honoured."
She even suggested promulgation of an ordinance as an option to hold the event next month.
