Jallikattu supporters hold protests, 149 held

Pressure mounts on federal and state governments for ordinance to sidestep ban on ritual

Determined in their efforts to conduct the ‘Jallikattu’ ritual, people in Tamil Nadu yesterday mounted pressure on the federal and state governments by launching agitations against the ban on the bull-taming sport, leading to the detention of 149 protesters.

Die-hard supporters of the sport, along with activists of major political parties in the state, have been demanding an ordinance for conducting Jallikattu after the Supreme Court imposed a ban on it.

While Jallikattu is held in Avaniapuram on Pongal day, it shifts to Palamedu and Alanganallur in the district during the next two days.

While 68 villagers were detained at Alanganallur for staging a railway blockade, several groups of young men led by film director Gowthaman were held at Avaniapuram bus stand near the temple city of Madurai for demanding the lifting of the ban on the sport, police said.

In a village off Alanganallur, a youth climbed a mobile phone tower seeking overturning of the Jallikattu ban.

Communist Part of India (CPI) state secretary R. Mutharasan and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) chief Ramadoss claimed that the protesters were batoncharged at Avaniapuram, and demanded action against those responsible.

Police, protesters

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party’s state president Tamilisai Soundararajan told reporters in Coimbatore that the party was hopeful that the Supreme Court would give a favourable verdict on Jallikkattu. But the postponement of the verdict had come as a shock to all, she said.

To a specific question on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) writing to the President to dismiss the Tamil Nadu government if the sport was allowed during Pongal festival, she said the organisation had no right to make such a demand and that the animal rights group should be banned. however, said were only the detained.