Chennai, Feb. 20: The Jayalalithaa regime has revoked the ban on animal sacrifices in temples in yet another pre-poll gesture before the model code of conduct kicks in.
On the chief minister’s advice, governor P.S. Ramamohan Rao today promulgated the Tamil Nadu Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition (Repeal) Ordinance, 2004, that will annul a 1950 act banning animal sacrifices in temples.
The ordinance that comes into immediate effect seeks to “respect and protect” the ancient religious beliefs and practices of the people, said an official statement released here this afternoon. This should bring some cheer to the rural populace that had resented the ban.
Though the act — brought in by the then Congress government — has been around for long, its provisions were strictly enforced only from August last year following a government directive to police to prevent “crude” sacrifices. Jayalalithaa had justified the move on the grounds of hygiene and prevention of cruelty to animals.
It sparked a wave of defiance as people in several districts openly sacrificed animals to appease their “presiding deities” while the helpless police looked on.
The Opposition, too, had denounced the move, saying it interfered with the religious freedom of the most backward sections and, in particular, the Dalits, and affected the livelihood of those economically dependent on the practice.
But leading animal activists, including former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, had applauded the chief minister’s courage and determination.
Even the Kanchi Sankaracharya was against animal sacrifices, prompting Opposition leaders to accuse Jayalalithaa of trying to “sanskritise” the traditional rituals of the backwards and thus “undermining” Tamil cultural practices.
The state BJP, which in principle is against animal sacrifices, too, had felt that age-old practices should not be interfered with.
From ancient times, “grama devatas (folk deities)” in the state’s predominantly rural society have been appeased with animal sacrifices, as an act of “nethi kadan (thanksgiving)”.
Faced with a deluge of complaints that the ban was curbing religious customs, Jayalalithaa said the people had also expressed the fear of deities’ “curse visiting their families” as a consequence.
To ensure a remedial measure “for all times to come”, the chief minister said she recommended the ordinance repealing the act completely.
The Jayalalithaa regime has thus retracted several of its controversial decisions, if only to appease the electorate and blunt the Opposition attack in the run-up to the general elections.
Ten days ago, the government had reinstated nearly a thousand state employees who had struck work in July last year, and also abolished agricultural income-tax for plantation crops and slashed stamp duty.
Brickbats for bouquets
Jayalalithaa late last night urged her party cadre not to throw bouquets and garlands at her while campaigning, after she claimed to have suffered minor injuries in one such shower of affection, reports PTI.
A statement released late last night said the incident occurred while the chief minister was leaving a function in Chennai. It further said that in view of police warning that the LTTE might make an attempt on her life, the rebels might impersonate party workers and plant a bomb in a bouquet.
Jayalalithaa also urged the cadre to desist from putting up her cut-outs and, instead, donate the money spent on the extravagance to the party fund.
I am curious what you think of this.
You had some serious pyschological problems when you were a kid. Your story sounds horrible the same time very sad, I never read something this violence from a member of AD before. 