Jallikattu Ban: AR Rahman To Fast on Friday In Support of Sport
Protests against Jallikattu ban refuse to die down.
Follow live updates here as the Jallikattu protests enter Day 4.
- Thousands of protesters are camping at Chennai’s Marina Beach since Tuesday night to protest Jallikattu ban
- They are instead demanding a ban on PETA that has been behind the Jallikattu ban
- So far, the Madras High Court has refused to “interfere” in the matter saying the SC is “seized of the matter”
- AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala says legal measures to ban PETA will be adopted
- Tamil Nadu CM Panneerselvam Meets PM Modi in New Delhi
- PMO says Centre will support all decisions taken by the Tamil Nadu government
AIADMK MPs to Meet Rajnath Tomorrow
AIADMK MPs will meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, seeking the Centre's help to allow conduct of jallikattu.
All the 49 party MPs, including 37 from Lok Sabha, would call on Singh at 12 pm on Friday tentatively.
"We will seek the central government's help to conduct jallikattu, this is an emotional issue for our people," an AIADMK leader told PTI.
He, however, declined to elaborate as to what will be the points of discussion or the area of support the MPs will be seeking from Centre in their meeting with the Home Minister.
Chief Minister Panneerselvam met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday with the latter saying the matter was sub-judice while assuring that the Centre would back the state in its efforts to hold the sport.
TN Can Make Law to Treat Jallikattu as Traditional Sport: AG
As protests demanding Jallikattu swelled on the streets of Tamil Nadu, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi today said the state government has the power to enact a law to treat Jallikattu as a traditional sport, but cautioned that the animals should not be harmed or cruelly treated during such events.
Rohatgi, who defended in the Supreme Court the Centre's stand allowing use of bulls in events like Jallikattu, said that as far as sports is concerned, it is within the exclusive jurisdiction of respective state governments and the Centre has no power on it.
"That is not a power with the Centre at all because the Constitution demarcates the role of the Centre and states...As far as sports are concerned, it is in the exclusive jurisdiction of the state," he said.
PETA May Take Legal Route If Centre Brings Ordinance on Jallikattu
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India on Thursday said it may take the legal route if the Centre brings an ordinance to enable the conduct of Jallikattu or continue its campaign to create awareness against the holding of the bull-taming sport in Tamil Nadu.
“Our campaign is against cruelty towards all animals. We will consult our lawyers and take a decision if there is an ordinance,” PETA spokesperson Manilal Valliyate told PTI.
The animal rights body also claimed that certain native breeds of bulls became extinct because of “white revolution” and “cross-breeding programmes”.
Jallikattu Protesters Keep Up Pressure
Reports indicated that the state government could consider promulgating an ordinance to ensure holding of jallikattu or convene the Assembly for adopting a resolution in its favour.
In a virtual replay of the anti-Hindi agitation of 1960s, lakhs of students and youths took leadership of the peaceful protests across the state, while agitators in Madurai, the main area which has been hosting jallikattu sport for centuries, stopped trains pressing for their demand.
Businesses, theatres, schools and transporters have declared a day-long strike on Friday supporting the demand for immediate permission to allow jallikattu.
AR Rahman Fast to Fast For Jallikattu
Musician and song-writer AR Rahman announced on Twitter that he would be fasting on Friday in support of the sport.
Jallikattu Stir Spreads to Lanka, UK and Australia London/Colombo
Protests demanding lifting of the ban on bull-taming sport 'jallikattu' have spread to outside India with the Tamil diaspora in Sri Lanka, Britain and Australia holding demonstrations against the ban.
Hundreds of UK-based Indian Tamils have come together to organise a series of protests in favour of Jallikattu this week in London and across the UK.
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, protest was held in the Tamil minority dominated northern capital of Jaffna, yesterday.
Australian Tamil community has also joined the ongoing protest against the ban on Jallikattu by holding peaceful demonstrations in Melbourne and Sydney.
Vishwanathan Anand Comes Out in Support Of Jallikattu
Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand extended his support to holding the bull taming sport, saying it was a cultural symbol.
Anand voiced out his views on Twitter.
Protests At Jantar Mantar
Protests against the ban on Jallikattu have spilled on to the streets of regions all across Tamil Nadu. And now, the chorus for revoking the ban is being heard in New Delhi as well. Many protesters are currently voicing their dissent over the issue at Jantar Mantar.
PMK Leader Detained by Police in Delhi
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader and MP Anbumani Ramadoss has been detained by police after he sat on a dharna in support of Jallikattu outside the Prime Ministers residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi.
"Good News Will Come Soon"
After meeting the Prime Minster today, Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam informs the media that he submitted a letter to the PM saying that the ban on Jallikattu must be lifted. The letter also requests the Centre to draft an “emergency” ordinance to “reinstate” the sport.
The CM also says that he informed the PM that “there is drought in 50 percent of the state.”
“Farmers have faced immense pains and miseries. We requested the Centre to sanction Rs 32,000 crore as drought relief funds to Tamil Nadu. We requested the PM that he directs the Finance Ministry to release the money as soon as possible,” Panneerselvam says.
While answering queries on the sport, he says: “Wait, good news will come soon.”
Centre Will Support State's Call
The Prime Minister’s Office came out with a brief statement saying though the matter is currently “sub judice”, the Centre will be supportive of all steps taken by the state government.
"Need to Approach SC With the Correct Picture of Jallikattu"
Speaking to Times Now, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar comments on the burning issue of Jallikattu.
He says that Pongal is “bigger than Holi or Diwali” in Tamil Nadu and Jallikattu is an “integral part” of the festival.
He feels that the SC needs to be approached again “with a correct picture” of the sport.
He also calls the ban a “conspiracy” to do away with indigenous breeds of bulls.
He extends support to the protesters, saying: “I stand by the people of Tamil Nadu and their passion in protecting their tradition. I want to tell them to not let this peaceful protest be hijacked by anti-social elements and politicians.”
He sternly believes that “cruelty” towards animals should not enter the sport after PETA raised issues of people drugging the bull to make it aggressive.
Panneerselvam Meets Modi in Delhi
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam meets Modi at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi today. He requests the PM to promulgate an ordinance allowing Jallikattu to be conducted.
Politicians Kept Out of Protests
NDTV reports that no leaders have participated in the ongoing protests and DMK’s working president Stalin was asked to leave the protest venue.
SC Refuses to Hear Protest Plea
The Supreme Court, today, refused to hear a plea, which urged the apex court to hear the matter pertaining to public protests at Marina beach.
Protests Continue at Marina
People gathered in large numbers at Marina Beach on Wednesday night in support of Jallikattu. The protests continue with thousands flocking the area.
The demonstrators are garnering support via social media.
Rohini, a Chennai resident, says her friends travelled overnight from Singapore to participate in the protest.
Bandh in Puducherry on 20 Jan
A joint meeting of various Tamil outfits on Wednesday called for a dawn to dusk bandh in support of Jallikattu in Puducherry on 20 January.
A spokesman of the pro-Jallikattu outfits comprising of representatives of various Tamil organisations including Tamilar Desiya Iyakkam and Naam Tamizhar katchi told newsmen that the bandh is also to demand a ban on PETA.
The outfits have formed an Action committee which includes various students’ organisations and non-political units extending support to Jallikattu to spearhead various agitations in Union Territory.
Schools and colleges in Tamil Nadu will remain shut today on account of the ongoing protests.
Security Deployed
Police have been deployed in Chennai as protests in support of Jallikattu continued.
Thousands of students from various colleges are among the protesters who want Jallikattu ban to be lifted, making the protest effectively a students’ movement.
At the Marina beach, around 500 students from the Central Polytechnic College are adding to the numbers. The News Minute quoted a student, Karthik as saying:
Will Adopt All Legal Measures to Ban PETA: AIADMK Gen Secy
Reacting to the ongoing protests, AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natarajan says: “Centre should promulgate the ordinance revoking ban on Jallikattu. We will adopt all legal measures to ban PETA”.
Tamil Nadu CM to Meet PM Modi Tomorrow
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam requests the demonstrators to give up their protest.
He also informs that he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and urge him to issue an ordinance to allow the sport to be conducted.
The Quint's Ground Report
The Quint’s Vikram Venkateswaran is reporting from the Marina Beach.
In Support of Jallikattu...
Popular actor and playback singer Vijay sent out a message saying, “It (Jallikattu) is our Tamilian identity.”
Among the demonstrators, there were other who had a different agenda on mind.
Madras HC Says It Won't Interfere in the Matter
The Madras High Court, on Wednesday, said it will not “interfere” on the issue of protests in the city against the ban on Jallikattu, holding that the Supreme Court was seized of the matter.
The court made this observation when a mention was made by an advocate K Balu in the open court about the protests at the Marina.
The first bench, comprising Chief Justice S K Kaul and Justice M Sundar, declined to “interfere in the matter at this stage”.
PETA India CEO Reacts to Jallikattu Ban
Crowds Flock to Marina; Volunteers Clean up Garbage
Marina Beach is now the focal point of the Jallikattu protests. With thousands of demonstrators at Marina, garbage and plastic waste is mounting, says a TNM report.
Dilip, a Chennai businessman, has taken the initiative to keep the beach clean and appealed to the protesters to not throw away the litter.
Instead, they have been asked to accumulate the trash in one section of the area. Around 40 to 45 garbage bags and sacks were also arranged so that the trash could be collected for disposal.
“We have been collecting all the waste from the beach and accumulating it at one place near the main road. The Chennai corporation people are coming and collecting it,” said another volunteer.
Crowd Erupts at Chennai's Marina Beach
Thousands of protesters have gathered at Chennai’s Marina Beach since Tuesday night to protest the ban on the bull-taming sport, Jallikattu.
Protesters slept on the beach, stating that they will not leave until Jallikattu is allowed to happen. The chorus for banning PETA (the organisation which has been fighting the legal battle to ban Jallikattu) is growing louder as the protest has continued for over 34 hours now.
While the union government remains silent on issuing an ordinance allowing the traditional sport, the protests in Tamil Nadu refuse to die down, and have since only gathered momentum.
(With inputs from The News Minute, ANI and PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)