Don't call me 'hero of Jallikattu': Panneerselvam

Tamil Nadu Assembly today witnessed some light moments when Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam asked colleagues not to call him 'jallikattu nayagan' (hero of bull taming sport) as it would embarass him if he attended an event as a spectator and was asked to tame the animal.

"If they (organisers) say that the jallikattu hero has come and he will tame a bull, then I will be in a tight corner," he said as the House broke into peals of laughter.

Panneerselvam's remark followed Food Minister R Kamaraj addressing him as 'jallikattu nayagan' apparently for his role last year as Chief Minister in facilitating the nod for conducting the bull taming sport in Tamil Nadu.

After the formal nod for the sport in January 2017 by the AIADMK government, ruling party leaders and legislators have often called Panneerselvam as 'jallikattu nayagan' to signify his efforts in facilitating conduct of the sport.

Kamaraj and other Ministers today lauded the efforts of the Tamil Nadu government in getting the Cauvery Management Authority and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee constituted.

While Chief Minister K Palaniswami recalled the efforts of his party-led governments both in the past and present on the Cauvery issue, DMK Deputy leader Duraimurugan spoke of his party chief M Karunanidhi's initiative when the top leader was Chief Minister several times, beginning in 1969.