Chennai: Massive protests
across Tamil Nadu in support of Jallikattu, the bull taming sport, intensified
on Friday with traders downing their shutters, taxi, auto-rickshaw and truck
operators staying off the roads. State government employees have decided to take
out a procession while the central government and public sector organisations
functioned. The bank unions have extended their support to the protests. The
movie industry has cancelled shooting and theatre halls would remain closed on
Friday. In some districts schools were also closed. The DMK is also holding
protests on rail tracks which prompted the Southern Railway to cancel four
trains and partial operation of few others.
Thousands of youth sat through
Thursday night in Chennai's Marina beach hoping for some good news from Chief
Minister O.Panneerselvam who expected to arrive here on Friday from Delhi
following his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Supreme Court 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 Tamil culture by
disallowing the traditional sport observed during the harvest festival of
Pongal.
In Tamil Nadu, the protests began
on Tuesday morning following the arrest of protesters in Madurai district's
Alanganallur town, well known for conducting the sport. In Jallikattu, a bull
vaulter is expected to hang on to the animal's hump for a stipulated distance or
for a minimum of three jumps by the bull.
In Madurai large number of youth
are continuing their protest in support of the state's ancient sport.
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