Stir goes viral in western region

Innovations abounded as the public decorated their cars and bikes like bulls whereas industrialists, social activists and philanthropists offered food, water, tea and snacks from time to time. Some of them even erected tents for the protesters. 

Musician ‘Hip Hop Tamizha’ Adhi encouraged students to stay focused on jallikattu and not to get distracted by taking up the other burning issues in the state, though they are of importance. Actor Mayilsamy extended his support. 

In Salem city, nearly 10,000 students blocked traffic on the roads and detained the Bengaluru to Karaikudi Passenger Train from 1.15 pm till late in the evening. R Lokesh (17), a carpenter, accidently touched a high tension wire atop the train coach. He was admitted to hospital with 65 per cent burns. 

In Erode, the students protesting with their relatives and neighbours. Pavithra taking part in the protest for two days fainted on Thursday and she was rushed to the hospital. Tensed moments were witnessed at Mullamparappu near Erode, as the protestors released seven huge Kangayam bulls that were brought to the temple.

Extending support to the students who are staging massive protests to lift the ban on jallikattu, the State Lorry Owners Federation – Tamil Nadu (SLOT-TN) and Tamil Nadu Sand Lorry Owners Federation (TNSLOF) have decided to go off roads from 6 am to 6 pm on January 20.

“Close to lakh lorries in Tamil Nadu will go off road in support of the sport and the ongoing emotional protests for the sport across the state. Our vehicles will go off road at 6 am,” SLOT-TN president M R Kumarasamy told reporters in Salem and added that this is only the first stage of their support for the issue. He said that they would decide on further course of action based on the stand of the state and Union governments.  

TNSLOF state president Sella Rajamani who is also a lawyer told DTNext that the laws and acts are made for people and that the judges should reconsider the sentiments of the people and lift the ban on the traditional sport. “There are close to 80,000 sand lorries attached to members of the 23 associations attached to the federation. They will not load, unload or carry sand for 12 hours,” he said. He also threatened that they would go on an indefinite strike if the state and Centre failed to take necessary steps on war footing to conduct the sport. “After discussing with senior members and state representatives we will intensify our support to students by hitting the road with our trucks and organise mass road blockades till the sport is conducted,” he added. 

The lorry booking agents association in Salem, traders unions in Tirupur and transporters association have also decided to extend support to the strike on Friday. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Government Employees Union has extended support. Tamil Nadu Poultry Farmers Association has also given moral support to the students. “Jallikattu is not a sport where bulls are harassed. So the ban should be lifted,” the association’s state president R Nallathambi told reporters in Namakkal on Thursday.

Even as a youth uprising seeking to withdraw the Supreme Court ban on jallikattu has taken centre stage here, a public interest litigation has been moved in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the state and the Union governments to enact a new special law with strict conditions to celebrate jallikattu. K K Ramesh, Managing Trustee, Tamil Nadu Centre for Public Interest Litigation, has submitted that it is the bounden duty of the government to respect the feeling of the Tamil people and the ongoing protest by youth and students is a clear indication that the public want jallikattu to be held.

He also claimed in his plea that owing to the ban the bull population is decreasing day by day in Tamil Nadu. In the long run the move would rob people of nutritious milk and thereby result in children’s immunity power going down rapidly. He also noted that the ban is being imposed only in Tamil Nadu while in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his family presided over a jallikattu held there. Moreover, the ban had come about citing animal cruelty while not a single instance of a bull being killed has surfaced while several men have been killed, he added.