Tamil Nadu: Pro-jallikattu stir intensifies after PM refuses to intervene

With the meet between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam failing to yield desired results, the pro Jallikattu supporters at Chennai's Marina beach have turned into anti-Narendra Modi agitators.

Placards with Modi's portrait struck down were distributed among the crowd on Marina Beach. Protesters shouted slogans against Modi, Panneerselvam, AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikalaa and Union Minister for child and women development Maneka Gandhi among others.

The Tamil Nadu CM today met PM Modi for revocation of Supreme Court ban on Jallikattu through an ordinance that would enable the conduct of the bull-taming sport in the state.

During his meeting with Panneerselvam in New Delhi earlier in the day, Modi declined to take step for the conduct of jallikattu as the matter is with the Supreme Court and so sub-judice.

"The ban imposed on Jallikattu by the Supreme Court came up for discussion. While appreciating the cultural significance of Jallikattu, the Prime Minister observed that the matter is presently sub-judice," the Prime Minister's Office said in a series of tweets.

"The Centre will be supportive of steps taken by the state government," it added. 

The Chief Minister also raised the issue of drought during the meet. The Prime Minister assured him that all possible assistance will be provided to the state to address the situation and a central team will be deputed to the state shortly.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of massive protests across the state in support of Jallikattu and banning animal rights group PETA entering its third day today. 

At the Marina beach in Chennai, protesters sat through Wednesday night and on Thursday morning. Thousands of young men and women have been demanding not only an end to the ban on Jallikattu but also a ban on People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which opposes the sport.

With several colleges declaring holiday here and in other parts of the state, the number of students to assemble at Marina is expected to go up.

In Jallikattu, a bull vaulter is expected to hang on to the animal's hump for a stipulated distance or hold on to the hump for a minimum of three jumps made by the bull. The sport is traditionally held as part of the four-day Pongal festival in the state. 

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The Supreme Court had in May 2014 banned Jallikattu, saying that bulls cannot be used as performing animals including 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 Supreme Court had insulted the Tamil culture by disallowing the sport.

In Chennai, the demonstration began on Tuesday morning following the arrest of Jallikattu protesters in Madurai district's Alanganallur town well known for conducting the sport. Thousands of youths who began their protest in Alanganallur on Monday were arrested a day later. Police housed the protesters -- both men and women -- at wedding halls. Angered by the arrests, villagers took to the streets.

Social media plays key role in Jallikattu stir 

Social media appeared to have played a key role in bringing together thousands of pro-Jallikattu protesters to the sprawling Marina Beach here and other parts of Tamil Nadu, with updates on the ongoing students' spontaneous stir and messages flooding the platform.

Sites including Facebook were awash with "Let us be united", "We want Jallikattu," and "I support Jallikattu" pages, which together account for lakhs of followers, who kept commenting on the evolving situation and pressing their cause.

Facebook pages like "Jallikattu veeravilayattu," specially designed to spread messages on the bull-taming sport and protest across the state were active with live updates.

Special folk songs were uploaded and real time pictures, videos of protests were posted regularly which helped the information reach more and more people, prompting several of them to join hands.

Also, posts like "No Jallikattu, no vote" and "save native cattle" dominated social media sites. Each Jallikattu protest and information related to it got thousands of "likes" on Facebook.

In Jallikattu, a bull vaulter is expected to hang on to the animal's hump for a stipulated distance or hold on to the hump for a minimum of three jumps made by the bull. The sport is traditionally held as part of the four-day Pongal festival in the state. 

The Supreme Court in May 2014 banned the conduct of Jallikattu. The court also held that bulls cannot be used as performing animals either for Jallikattu events or for bullock-cart races in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra or elsewhere in the country.

Ever since the ban, people have been demanding the central government take necessary steps to allow the conduct of the sport.