Thousands are protesting at Chennai's Marina beach since last night
Highlights
- Students, actors, politicians demand lifting of ban on Jallikattu
- Big protests are being held at Marina Beach, other parts of Tamil Nadu
- Jallikattu banned in 2014 after activists moved top court against it
With nearly 3,000 people protesting at Chennai's Marina beach since Tuesday night and big protests being held in other parts of Tamil Nadu, chief minister O Panneerselvam has said that he will do everything necessary to ensure the banned bull taming sport Jallikattu takes place. He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow to ask for a special order to allow Jallikattu. Students, techies, actors and politicians, who have converged in Tamil Nadu, say the traditional bull-taming sport of Jallikattu is a symbol of Tamil pride and culture. Meanwhile, the Madras High Court said today that it will not "interfere" with the protests.
Here are the 10 latest developments in this story:
The protesters at Marina Beach say they want Chief Minister O Panneerselvam to speak to them and then put pressure on the centre to permit Jallikattu, banned by the Supreme Court, through an ordinance or executive order.
The protesters have also demanded a ban on animal rights organisation People for Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA, which has lobbied hard to ensure that the sport is not allowed.
AIADMK chief Sasikala Natarajan this evening said the centre should issue an ordinance revoking the ban on Jallikattu. She also said that her party will adopt all legal measures to ban PETA.
The protests have so far been peaceful but there are worries about such a large gathering in the heart of Chennai. The police have tried to get the crowd to disperse, but to no avail.
Tamil Nadu ministers Jayakumar and Ma Foi Pandiarajan met the protesters and assured them that the government agrees with them and will approach the centre to seek an ordinance. The chief minister is seeking legal options, the government has said.
Popular actor Vijay visited Marina Beach to show solidarity with the protesters. Others like Sivakumar and Vishal have made statements in support of Jallikattu. "Law was not created to rob people off their tradition and rights but to protect it. Jallikattu is every Tamilian's identity. Those who are protesting against the ban on Jallikattu are united by the feeling that they are Tamilians but not out of compulsion or political pressure. I bow down to each and everyone of them," actor Vijay said in a video message.
Animal rights activists say Jallikattu subjects bulls to torture and pain "You basically see a bull having its tail bitten, being stabbed with sickles, agitated, stuff rubbed into its eyes with 20 people jumping on it," said advocate and animal rights activist, Rudra Krishna.
But the champions of Jallikattu say there is no cruelty to the animals. "Our people revere bulls, there is no cruelty," said Tamil Nadu's education minister Ma Foi Pandiarajan.
All political parties in the state say they support Jallikattu and accuse each other of not pushing enough to have the ban lifted. The ruling AIADMK has blamed the DMK for the ban, imposed when its partner the Congress led the Central government. The DMK has taunted the AIADMK for not ensuring that Jallikattu was allowed this year.
Jallikattu was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014 after animal rights activists moved court against it. The Supreme Court had last week rejected a plea urging it to pass early verdict on a petition on Jallikattu before Pongal, the harvest festival during which it is held, on Saturday last.
Post a comment