Jallikattu row: Protesters keep up pressure against ban, govt mulls options

CHENNAI: Protests demanding jallikattu swelled on the streets of Tamil Nadu after agitators rejected statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and the state braced for a shutdown tomorrow. Late night 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 tomorrow supporting the demand for immediate permission to allow jallikattu. More eminent personalities like chess wizard Viswanathan Anand and music maestro A R Rahman extended their support. Rahman will sit on a day-long fast tomorrow. On a day of hectic developments, Modi expressed inability on the part of the Centre in promulgating an ordinance in the conduct of the bull-taming sport but expressed support for steps taken by Tamil Nadu in this regard. Chief Minister Panneerselvam, who met Modi at his residence in Delhi, told reporters later that the state government in conjunction with the Centre would take steps for holding the event. "We will soon take steps with the backing of the Centre for the holding of the sport. You will soon see (the steps). All is well that ends well. Wait, good will happen," he told reporters after the meeting with Modi during which he urged the central government to issue an ordinance to enable the sport to be conducted. Later, the Chief Minister deferred his return to Chennai and held consultations with legal experts including state Additional Advocate General (AAG) Subramonium Prasad. He is understood to have discussed the option of the state issuing an ordinance for ensuring holding of the event traditionally held during Pongal. After the Chief Minister pressed for immediate steps for promulgation of an ordinance, the Prime Minister told him that the Supreme Court was yet to give its verdict on the notification of the government on the issue but the Centre would support any step taken by the state government on this. At the epicentre of the agitation Marina, the protesters rejected the statements of Modi and Panneerselvam saying these were known excuses and disappointing. On the third night of the protests, the students including those from schools, youth and women expressed their determination not to leave their protest sites unless the age-old sport is allowed. What happens in Jallikattu 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. 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 the Tamil culture by disallowing the sport. In Chennai, the demonstration began on Tuesday morning following the arrest of Jallikattu protesters in Madurai district's Alanganallur town well known for conducting the sport. Thousands of youths who began their protest in Alanganallur on Monday were arrested a day later. Police housed the protesters -- both men and women -- at wedding halls. Angered by the arrests, villagers took to the streets.