Chennai/New Delhi: Moving swiftly, the Centre tonight cleared an ordinance on Jallikattu, paving the way for Tamil Nadu government to promulgate it in an effort to end the protests that have paralysed the state for the last four days.
Following up on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, the Ministries of Home, Law and Environment vetted the state's draft ordinance and cleared the amendment that will denotify the bull from the list of "performing animals".
This will ensure that provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act will not apply to the bull.
The ordinance has been forwarded to the state government, a Home Ministry spokesman said. It has been sent without the need of referring it to the President of India.
Tamil Nadu Cabinet is expected to meet tomorrow morning to clear the ordinance and recommend it to the Governor Vidyasagar Rao for promulgation.
Rao, who is also Governor of Maharashtra, is reaching Chennai tomorrow morning.
Jallikattu bull-taming sport, an age-old annual event during Pongal is very popular in Tamil Nadu.