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    ‘We have to fight for jallikattu’

    Kollywood stars have been vocal about their stand on jallikattu and have been under scanner for their support or opposition of the traditional sport. In a latest development actor Aari was arrested on his way to join a rally in support of the traditional sport.

    ‘We have to fight for jallikattu’
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    Actor Aari and Trisha

    Chennai

    Actor Aari, who is known for his films Rettaisuzhi and Nedunchaalai , was in news on Monday as the police arrested him along with director Ameer and a bunch of other jallikat tu supporters just before they could join a massive support rally in Alanganallur. 

    Talking to DTNext Aari said, “I went to participate in the rally on Sunday evening but was told by a few people that the situation there is tensed. I was asked me to stay in Madurai till Monday morning.”

     The actor who left for Alanganallur from Madurai was stopped by the police before entering the town. “I couldn’t enter Alanganallur as they were not allowing any vehicles from any of its five entrances. So I decided to park my car and walked into the town. The police stopped me and took me inside their vehicle. They seized my mobile phones and I was taken to a huge wedding hall, where other jallikattu supporters were also lodged. 

    Director Ameer and I requested them to release all of us since we meant no harm. But the police started charging at us. We hid ourselves inside a house for more than an hour to escape their beating. However, my assistants and driver were brutally injured,” says Aari. He also went on to say that it is disheartening when someone intervenes to stop a certain tradition, that means so much to people. 

    “This is totally unfair and nobody exactly knows what jallikatt u is all about. This is not bull-fighting but it is bull-embracing and I believe people in power will understand our feelings. We are ready to continue fighting for keeping the tradition of jallikattu alive. When PETA filed a case against bull-fighting in Spain, the court rejected the plea and said that it is their tradition and cannot be stopped. I am expecting things will work out in favour of jallikattu,” said the actor.

    ‘I never opposed Jallikattu’

    Actress Trisha had to leave a shooting location after an angry mob of jallikattu supporters protested against her for endorsing PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) which had obtained a Supreme Court ban on jallikattu in 2014, citing animal cruelty. She issued a statement saying that she has never been against jallikattu. “I made my stance very clear on my social networking account that I have never been against or opposed jallikattu. I am a proud Tamilian by birth and I believe and respect Tamil culture and tradition. I would never go against the sentiments of my own people, who have been instrumental in making me what I am today. My Twitter account was hacked and a tweet was sent out that seemed to have hurt the sentiment of the people. Considering the gravity of the issue, I immediately reset my password and deactivated my Twitter account. I will never go against my own people,” she said.

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