News Tamil Nadu

TN BJP leader SG Suryah hits out at RaGa’s TN visit: Exposes Congress’ stance on Jallikattu, asks if he has quarantined after Italy visit

January 13, 2021
The Commune

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Tamil Nadu on January 14, and watch a jallikattu event in Avaniapuram near Madurai during the Pongal festivities. The Wayanad MP’s visit comes ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly polls due in April-May this year.

This has led to many questioning the Congress leader’s visit as the party was instrumental in bringing the ban on the sport that is seen as a symbol of Tamil culture and heritage. Many had pointed out that the Congress in its 2016 Assembly election manifesto had declared to ban Jallikattu. But, there have been disputing references regarding this.

Leaders have also raised concerns if whether Rahul Gandhi has quarantined himself after his Italy visit.

Spokesperson of BJP Tamil Nadu SG Suryah in a series of tweets, lashed out at Rahul Gandhi coming to Tamil Nadu to witness Jallikattu pointing out that the Congress party had actively ensured the banning of the ancient Tamil sport.

He also asked how come the Congress leader who is supposedly yet to return from his Italy trip is directly coming down to the state to participate in mass gatherings without being under mandatory quarantine for 14 days.

“From where is he coming? Whether that country is infected with UK [virus] mutant? Nobody knows anything. Such a mess up @INCTamilNadu”, the BJP leader said in his tweet.

SG Suryah also exposed the Congress party and its leaders regarding their stance on Jallikattu. He pointed out that the Congress in its 2016 manifesto for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections had declared that it would ban Jallikattu.

A Time of India report dated April 27, 2016 states that the party had called for a ban on Jallikattu in its 2016 election manifesto. Zee News too reported on the same date quoting ANI that the party promised to completely ban Jallikattu if it comes to power.

India Today too reported that the Congress in its manifesto has  ‘promised prohibition on Jallikattu’. However, an article by The News Minute had noted that the 2016 manifesto of Congress had called for ‘legalization’ of Jallikattu.

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee responding to Mr. SG Suryah’s tweet refuted these allegations and said that the party in its manifesto had called for removing the ban on the sport. But the BJP leader was quick to point out the anomaly.

The BJP leader also pointed out to various instances when Congress leaders endorsed the ban on Jallikattu which is quite contrary to what the party is claiming now.

Former PM Manmohan Singh, in a letter to NG Jayasimha, Managing Director of Humane Society International, a Secunderabad-based NGO, had said that he was for banning the bull fight.

Former Union Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh had welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to ban Jallikattu. In fact, it was during his stint as the Environment Minister that he banned Jallikattu by adding bull to the list of animals prohibited for ‘performance’.

Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor back in 2015 called Jallikattu as cruel.

This has now triggered the hashtag #GoBackRahul with Congress critics calling out the party’s flip-flopping stance on Jallikattu.