Jallikattu will be held next year if DMK comes to power, assures Karunanidhi

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President M Karunanidhi on Wednesday assured to revive the banned bull-taming sport 'jallikattu' and hold it next year if his party was elected to power in the May 16 assembly elections.

Responding to AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa accusing his party of "betrayal" on the issue, Karunanidhi in a statement in Chennai said that DMK had not only monitored the proper conduct of the sport in the past, but had even enacted a law in 2009 for regulating 'jallikattu'.

Recalling the Supreme Court banning jallikattu in May 2014, Karunanidhi charged his arch-rival Jayalalithaa with not taking adequate steps to ensure the conduct of the sport, organised during the annual Pongal festivities in January in southern districts, especially Madurai.

She had taken up the matter with the Centre seven months after the court verdict and due to this, jallikattu could not be held in 2015, he said.

"If a DMK government is formed, the Centre will be approached and all legal steps will be expedited and I assure that jallikattu will be held from next year," he said.