Denotify bulls as performing animals: Tamil Nadu CM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam Wednesday urged the central government to denotify bulls from the list of performing animals so that Jallikattu - bull taming sport - could be held in the state during Pongal festival.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the text of which was released to the media here, Panneerselvam citing the Pongal festival requested Modi to honour the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu.

He urged Modi to instruct "...the officials of ministry of environment and forests to take immediate action to denotify bulls from the list of performing animals so that Jallikattu could be conducted from 16.1.2015 as per the usual practice."

Referring to the recent discussions a team of state government officials had with the officials of the central government, Panneerselvam said: "We were hopeful that the government of India would issue this notification forthwith."

"Media reports also state that the union minister for environment and forests has stated that the notification would be issued very shortly which would facilitate the conduct of Jallikattu and the Rekla Race. However, the government of India has not yet issued this notification," he said.

The Supreme Court had banned Jallikattu.