Madurai: Vociferous agitations demanding resumption of Jallikattu (bull taming) have gained momentum in Tamil Nadu with thousands of students, activists of various political and pro-Tamil outfits hitting streets in various parts today, urging the Central and state governments to promulgate an ordinance to remove the legal impediments, enabling the conduct of the bravery sports during this Pongal festival.
Hundreds of students of various colleges, including Government Law College, assembled near the Tamukkam ground in Madurai city and staged a demonstration. The students took out a rally to the District Collector Office and submitted a memorandum to the authorities. They also urged the Centre to ban People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in India, for its crusade against Jallikattu. Traders in 60 villages under Melur Taluk in Madurai district are observing a day-long bandh, demanding to hold Jallikattu. More than 500 shops and business establishments downed their shutters.
About 500 villagers took out a procession from Vellalur village to Melur Tahsildar Office, where they submitted a memorandum. Several students staged road-roko at Avaniyapuram, Alanganallur and elsewhere in Madurai district. According to reports reaching here, hundreds of students of various colleges and members of various pro-Tamil outfits marched to the Tiruchirapalli District Collector Office, demanding the Centre to allow Jallikattu and ban PETA. The students cautioned the Centre to take urgent steps to vacate the Supreme Court stay on Jallikattu, otherwise they will defy the ban and conduct the event.
In Pudukottai, students of HH Rajah's College boycotted their classes for the second day today and staged a protest for Jallikattu. Students of Chettinad Annamalai Polytechnic Institute at Karaikkudi in Sivaganga district also boycotted their classes and staged protest. Jallikattu was not held in Tamil Nadu in 2015 and 2016 after the apex court banned the event on May 7, 2014, citing animal cruelty. This is the third successive year the situation remains fluid with people, students and politicians backing for holding the events, even as animal rights activists' are trenchantly opposing it. (UNI)