Jallikattu will be conducted next year in Tamil Nadu if DMK comes to power: Karunanidhi

Chennai: DMK President M Karunanidhi on Wednesday assured to bring back the banned bull-taming sport 'jallikattu' and said that Tamil Nadu will celebrate the festival next year if the party comes to power in the May 16 Assembly elections.

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

Karunanidhi, recalling the Supreme Court's May 2014 judgetment of prohibiting the use of bulls in Jallikattu festival, charged his arch-rival Jayalalithaa of not taking adequate steps to ensure the conduct of the sport, organised during the Pongal festivities in the state.

"She had taken up the matter with the Centre seven months after the court gave its verdict on the issue and therefore, jallikattu could not be held in 2015," the DMK chief was quoted as saying by PTI.

"If DMK proves its majority in the upcoming state Assembly polls, the Centre will be approached and all legal steps will be expedited and I assure that jallikattu will be held from next year," Karunanidhi assured.

(With PTI inputs)