Tamil Nadu govt withdraws 308 cases against 26,460 people from 2017 Jallikattu protests

Ahead of Tamil Nadu polls, the AIADMK government on Saturday, has issued an order to withdraw 308 cases registered against 26,460 people in connection with the Jallikattu protests in 2017. Similarly, the EPS government has also withdrawn cases against anti-CAA protestors, COVID lockdown violators and Kudankulam nuclear power plant protestors. The EPS govt faces strong opposition from the DMK and ex-AIADMK general secretary Sasikala, who eyes her political return in the upcoming polls.  

In TN, CM EPS vows to withdraw cases against anti-CAA protesters, COVID lockdown violators

Tamil Nadu govt takes back Jallikattu cases

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Controversy over Jallikattu

Jallikattu is a traditional bull-taming sport conducted during the Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu. On May 7, 2014, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on Jallikattu based on petitions by the Animal Welfare Board of India and animal rights organization PETA. While the Environment Ministry permitted the continuation of the sport by modifying its earlier notification on January 7, 2016, the apex court stayed it 5 days later. This led to massive protests demanding the TN government to give permission to conduct Jallikattu in the state. 

On January 23, 2017, the TN Assembly unanimously cleared the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017 effectively legalising Jallikattu. The then President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the amendment thus allowing the resumption of the sport in the state. So far, the SC has refused an interim stay on this legislation and referred all petitions challenging Jallikattu to a Constitution bench.

Rahul Gandhi says 'govt will roll back farm laws, Mark my words; Jallikattu safe for bull'

EPS' social schemes

Apart from taking back so many cases, Chief Minister E Palaniswami announced that cooperative farm loans of 12,110 crores will be waived off, availed by 16.43 lakh farmers. Moreover, he also announced that all 2.06 crore ration-card holders in Tamil Nadu will receive a 'Pongal gift hamper', starting from January 4 - allocating Rs 5,604.84 crore for the scheme. A dhoti and a saree were also given free of cost to beneficiaries under a welfare scheme, for which the government has made an allocation of Rs 484.25 crore. He has also promised free COVID-19 vaccines to all. The government's steps, ahead of the crucial state polls, has been slammed by DMK M K Stalin calling it 'pre-poll appeasement'.

DMK writes EC asking to restrain AIADMK from using CM EPS' photo on "Pongal Gift Hamper"

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021

The two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. With AIADMK announcing its state alliance with BJP, it has refuted any possibility of reconciling with Sasikala, who has now been released from jail. Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats. Tamil Nadu polls will be held in April-May 2021.