Rahul Gandhi in Tamil Nadu: No one can suppress Tamil spirit

CONGRESS LEADER Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP-led authorities on the Centre of making an attempt to destroy the varied tradition of the nation and invoked Tamil spirit, hours after watching a Jallikattu occasion – a bull-taming sport held as a part of Pongal celebrations – close to Madurai on Thursday.
“They believe they can suppress the emotions of Tamil people, they believe they can crush the language of the Tamil people, they can suppress the spirit of the Tamil people,” Rahul informed reporters after a go to to the well-known Jallikattu area at Avaniyapuram. “I came here to give them a message that nobody can suppress the Tamil spirit. Suppressing the Tamil spirit is the worst thing you can do to this country as this is the essence and soul of India.”
The go to of the previous Congress president to Tamil Nadu got here even because the BJP, in an try to extend its visibility within the state forward of the May meeting elections, organised Pongal celebrations within the districts over the previous one week, which had been attended by the get together’s nationwide leaders.
Rahul accused the central authorities of creating strikes which might be affecting the nation’s various tradition and notions and mentioned he was in opposition to selling one concept, language or notion. “There are many different languages, ideas and all these contribute to our strength and that is my message,” he mentioned.
Rahul mentioned he got here to the state to thank the Tamil, language and historical past, that are important for the way forward for India. “They need to be respected by everybody in India,” he mentioned. He mentioned it was his responsibility to face with the individuals of Tamil Nadu and their language, tradition and historical past.
Rahul visited the Jallikattu area together with senior Congress leaders and Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK youth chief and son of get together chief M Ok Stalin. He thanked the organisers of the occasion for the “lovely experience to see Tamil culture and history in action”.
“I am happy to see Jallikattu being organised in a systematic and safe way, bulls and youngsters were safe…,” he mentioned.
Jallikattu was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014, resulting in large protests within the state. It made a comeback two years later after the state authorities made modifications to the central authorities’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, which had been ratified by the President.

In response to questions concerning the farmers protests at Delhi borders over three contentious farms legal guidelines, Rahul alleged the Centre was not solely neglecting the farmers however conspiring to destroy them “because they want to benefit two or three of their friends”. “They want to take the land, produce from farmers and give it to their friends…. Farmers are the backbone of this country… Whenever farmers were weak in India, the country got weaker,” he mentioned. He mentioned the federal government will likely be compelled to take again the contentious farm legal guidelines.
Referring to the LAC standoff with China, he mentioned: “Why is the Prime Minister is silent about the fact that the Chinese are sitting inside Indian territory.”
The BJP focused the Congress chief over his go to to the Jallikattu occasion. “Dear @RahulGandhi, Your Govt in 2011 labelled #Jallikattu as cruel & barbaric. Your Party manifesto supported ban on Jallikattu. Today, you are in Tamil Nadu to watch this traditional sport live. Aren’t you insulting lovely Tamil Makkal with your hypocrisy? Happy Pongal,” BJP nationwide normal secretary and Tamil Nadu in-charge C T Ravi tweeted, referring to the UPA authorities including bulls within the checklist of performing animals that ultimately led to the ban.