"Tamil Culture Is Important": PM Plays Jallikattu Card Ahead Of Polls

Jallikattu - regarded as a symbol of Tamil pride - is a contentious topic - and protests exploded across the state after the Supreme Court banned it in 2014 over concerns of animal cruelty

In Tamil Nadu to campaign for the AIADMK-BJP alliance ahead of next week's election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi played the 'Jallikattu' card to appeal to voters in Madurai - where the controversial activity is popular - as he accused the DMK and Congress of disrespecting and outlawing the practice, and lying to the people of the state. The Prime Minister - who spoke in English, with a translator by his side - also praised the Tamil language, hailing it as the world's oldest and Madurai's connection to Tamil literature and culture. "When there was a DMK government here and a UPA government at the centre, they banned Jallikattu. An UPA minister said it is a barbaric practice... is that right? Is that how one speaks about an age-old tradition that is so important to Tamil culture?" he asked voters. "After we came to power in 2014, it was the NDA government and AIADMK in the state that ensured Jallikattu is not banned. Why? Because for us Tamil culture is important," he declared.