AIADMK MPs meet President over Jallikattu, say Centre not being helpful

Thambidurai said that ‘one nation, one tax’ may be good for GST but the concept of one language-one culture is not good for federalism.

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AIADMK MPs led by M Thambidurai at Rashtrapati Bhavan after a meeting with the President on Jallikattu. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)

Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK on Saturday accused the BJP-led Central government of being unhelpful to the state on the issue of Jallikattu. AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not given appointment to his party’s MPs. The AIADMK leader, however, thanked Modi for helping the state government with the ordinance to ensure the bull-taming festival takes place.

Thambidurai said that ‘one nation, one tax’ may be good for GST but the concept of one language-one culture is not good for federalism. “The Prime Minister talks of cooperative federalism but what is cooperative federalism if you are not able to address our issues,’’ he asked. “We have been raising issues such as Cauvery, Mullaperiyar, Kachatheevu, Tamil fishermen, Sri Lankan Tamils cause and Jallikattu, which symbolises Tamil culture.’’

Pointing out that Tamil culture is also Indian culture, he said, “It is a warning to the Central government: please, do not step aside regional aspirations and interests.’’

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Thambidurai, who met President Pranab Mukherjee with a delegation today, said, “The UPA government, in which DMK was a constituent, did not do anything. Even the BJP government did not help us. That is why this ordinance now,” Thambidurai said. The delegation conveyed the situation in the state over the ban on the sport and sought the President’s intervention in the issue.

Thambidurai said that since the issue of animals is on the concurrent list of Constitution, the Tamil Nadu government had been waiting for the Centre to issue an ordinance. “We waited for last three days for meeting the Prime Minister but we could not get his appointment,” he said a day after the Centre cleared the draft ordinance of the Tamil Nadu government to make an exception for bulls under Prevention of Cruelty Act.

Thambidurai said that if elected MPs and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker are also unable to meet the Prime Minister, it leaves a bad feeling.

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