Chennai: The Jalliakttu (taming of bulls) issue has turned emotional in Tamil Nadu. Waves of protests, outpouring anger, heartbreak and anxiety gripped the state as serious doubts continue to linger over the conduct of the event, with just a day left for the Pongal festival. Support for holding the event swelled with people from various walks of life, including those from the tamil, film fraternity, expressing shock over the Supreme Court's remarks, while favouring holding of the event this year.
Jallikattu could not be held during the last two years in 2015 and 2016 following the ban imposed by the Apex court citing cruelty to animals. The anger heightened after the Supreme Court today said that it could not pass any orders on lifting the ban on Jalliakttu before the Pongal festival, prompting the Opposition DMK to announce a state-wide agitation tomorrow to condemn the Central and State governments for their failure to take timely steps to hold the event this year. There were growing demands from almost all political parties, barring the BJP, urging the Central government to promulgate an Ordinance to ensure that Jalliakttu, a symbol of Tamil culture and tradition, was held at least this year, by denotifying bulls from the list of performing animals.
Though the BJP had been stating that the Centre has been taking all steps to conduct the event this year respecting the sentiments of Tamils, the Supreme Court's observation that no orders could be passed before Pongal has virtually doused the hopes of Jallikattu being held this year. (UNI)