Tamil Nadu braces for shutdown on Friday as Jallikattu protests set to intensify

Chennai/New Delhi: Tamil Nadu is all set for a shutdown on Friday as protests demanding jallikattu swelled on the streets of Tamil Nadu on Thursday after agitators rejected statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

The trigger for the stir to intensify was Prime Minister's silence on the demand to promulgate an ordinance enabling the holding of the traditional bull-taming sport citing the matter as sub-judice.

The sea of youths continued to swell on the Chennai's Marina beach for the third day today and staged protests in multiple forms like forming human chains, taking out motorcycle rallies, playing folk music, dancing, singing and holding skit.

Also, animal rights organisation PETA was at the centre of the attack.

Several women held banners saying "no" to talks and seeking the nod for the sport as the way-out to uphold the "Tamil pride and culture".

Protests across Tamil Nadu:

Traffic came to a virtual standstill on arterial Kamarajar Salai abutting the beach almost throughout the day with the agitators spilling over on to the road.

Protests continued to be held in other parts of the State as well, including Madurai, Salem, Coimbatore, Karur, Tiruchirappalli and Erode, besides neighbouring Puducherry by students of colleges and universities. Rail rokos were held in places, including Salem and Chengelpet.

Associations representing truckers, retailers, private taxi operators, schools, have announced that they will not work tomorrow.

State government employees have decided to take out a procession.

Extending support to the protesters, Madras High Courts Advocates Association also announced boycott of courts tomorrow.

Tamil Nadu traders' federation, led by AM Vikramaraja and unions of auto-rickshaw and taxis operators and cinema houses announced a shutdown tomorrow.

The movie industry has cancelled shooting and theatre halls would remain closed tomorrow.

More eminent personalities like chess wizard Viswanathan Anand and music maestro AR Rahman extended their support.

Rahman will sit on a day-long fast tomorrow.

Tamil Nadu CM meets PM Modi:

On a day of hectic developments, PM Modi expressed inability on the part of the Centre in promulgating an ordinance in the conduct of the bull-taming sport but expressed support for steps taken by Tamil Nadu in this regard.

Chief Minister Panneerselvam, who met the PM at his residence in Delhi, told reporters later that the state government in conjunction with the Centre would take steps for holding the event.

"We will soon take steps with the backing of the Centre for the holding of the sport. You will soon see (the steps). All is well that ends well. Wait, good will happen," he told reporters after the meeting with Modi during which he urged the central government to issue an ordinance to enable the sport to be conducted, as per PTI.

Later, the Chief Minister deferred his return to Chennai and held consultations with legal experts including state Additional Advocate General (AAG) Subramonium Prasad. He is understood to have discussed the option of the state issuing an ordinance for ensuring holding of the event traditionally held during Pongal.

may take legal route if Centre brings ordinance on Jallikattu

After he pressed for immediate steps for promulgation of an ordinance, the Prime Minister told him that the Supreme Court was yet to give its verdict on the notification of the government on the issue but the Centre would support any step taken by the state government on this.

Opposition slams government:

However, political parties and thousands of the protesting youth in Tamil Nadu were not amused with PM Modi's response to the Jallikattu ordinance request.

DMK's Working President MK Stalin said today the party would hold protests on rail tracks across the state.

Stalin, terming the situation in the state as "abnormal', urged Panneerselvam to call an all-party meeting during the day as well as a special assembly sitting on Friday over the burgeoning issue, as per IANS.

The CM should also convene an all-party meeting, the DMK leader said.

However, Panneerselvam remained silent on Stalin's demands.

Stalin, citing PM Modi's assurance to Panneerselvam that the Centre will render all assistance to the state government on the Jallikattu issue, stressed that a special assembly sitting can take necessary legal steps for conduct of the ancient sport.

PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, who was detained in Delhi for protesting outside the Prime Minister's residence, in a statement said his party would hold Jallikattu on Republic Day on January 26 in case the Centre failed to promulgate an ordinance to facilitate the hugely popular sport.

PMK founder S Ramadoss said the PM cannot wash his hands off citing the matter as sub-judice as there is no legal bar on the central government in coming out with an ordinance even when there is a court case.

PETA's response:

PETA India, which is being targeted by the protesters, said it would serve no purpose.

"PETA India does not make law, we can only respect law, and so targeting PETA India can have no bearing whatsoever on the central government laws, which have been prohibiting cruel spectacles like jallikattu, bull races and bullfights for years," it said.

The People's Welfare Front (PWF) comprising CPI, CPI(M) and VCK extended support to the stir and urged the Centre to bring in necessary amendments to facilitate the sport.

PWF convener Thol. Thirumavalavan, however, saw a design behind the protesters keeping political parties away. Also, he counselled the students not to target PETA like seeking its ban, saying such an approach runs the risk of a big movement going after a small issue and thus wasting its efforts.

Background:

The Supreme Court in May 2014 had banned Jallikattu, saying that bulls cannot be used as performing animals including in bullock-cart races.

Since then, people have been urging the central government to take steps to allow the sport.

The common complaint among the protest leaders was that the apex court had insulted Tamil culture by disallowing the traditional sport observed during the harvest festival of Pongal.

In Jallikattu, a bull vaulter is expected to hang on to the animal's hump for a stipulated distance or for a minimum of three jumps by the bull.

(With Agency inputs)