Pro-jallikattu protest: Anger spills onto streets

Chennai: As protests for jallikattu among students and youth gathered momentum, political leaders voiced their support for the traditional sport of Tamils and urged the Centre to issue an ordinance to hold the sport.

College students from many places of the state held agitations inside their premises, besides holding rallies and road roko. The protests put the state government, without a popular leader at the helm,  under severe strain as the police had to stop the belligerent protesters comprising students and youth without using force. However, in Madurai, the police resorted to mild lathicharge to control students who threw away barricades and tried to break into the collectorate. Bike rallies and students processions marked agitations in Madurai.

The participation of youth in the protests was cited by AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala who wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said the youth of Tamil Nadu want the sport to be played as they feel it is their divine traditional right, wherein they exhibit their courage.

The Centre too came under sharp attack from the protesters as well as Opposition leaders. The DMK working president slammed the BJP government saying that it is playing a dual role on the issue. “When the Supreme Court ordered the Centre to set up the Cauvery Management Board, the Union government opposed the court order. But, when it comes to jallikattu, why the BJP government did not do so?” asked Stalin.

State BJP youth wing leader Sathyabama quit the BJP alleging that the party is insensitive to Tamil culture and sentiments. PMK founder S.Ramadoss too cited the rising resentment and bids to defy the ban, stating that it would lead to law and order problem in the state. The sport had not been held for two years and the BJP leaders were deceiving the people by making false promises, he said. Tamil Nadu Tamil Maanila Congress leader G.K. Vasan too joined the attacks urging the centre not to blame the Supreme Court. The Centre should issue an ordinance to hold the sport.

In Chennai, students of Anna University and Tamil Nadu Ambedkar Law University joined the protests. The portraits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was burnt and students demanded a ban on Peta, which is acting against Tamil culture. In Tiruchy students held a rally, in which school students joined with college students. Rallies were held in Tiruppur, Dindigul, Tiruvarur and Pudukottai.