Protest at Chennai's Marina Beach over Jallikattu ban
Several protesters sat throughout the night at Marina Beach in Chennai, demanding the continuation of bull-taming sport Jallikattu and a ban on animal rights group PETA. Further, lawyers in Namakkal district have announced a boycott of courts in protest. Notably, the Supreme Court had banned Jallikattu in May 2014 by terming it as cruelty to animals.
Thousands of college students and other youth sat throughout the night at Marina Beach in Chennai demanding the holding of bull-taming sport Jallikattu and banning of animal rights group PETA, as talks with two Tamil Nadu ministers failed on Tuesday.Massive statewide protests by youth in Tamil Nadu have entered the second day today with protestors refusing to budge from their demands. And, the protests seem likely to spill over to Thursday, with 31 colleges that participated in today's protests announcing that they will remain shut tomorrow as well. ALSO READ: As Tamil Nadu CM watches MGR movie, angry Marina Beach protesters ask where OPS isThe support for the protesters is growing with the students of SRM University in Chennai announcing that they would demonstrate outside their institution.Similarly, protests have gathered momentum in several other parts of Tamil Nadu.Lawyers in Namakkal district have announced boycott of courts.DEMONSTRATION BEGAN IN MADURAIThe demonstration began on Tuesday morning after the news of the arrest of Jallikattu protesters in Alanganallur town of Madurai district spread here. The protests started on Monday morning in Alanganallur.Despite police disconnecting the power supply at Marina Beach, the protest continued with mobile phone lights in the night.DMK party's Working President and leader of the opposition in Tamil Nadu, M. K. Stalin, urged Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to meet the protesters and take immediate action for holding the sport.ALSO READ: We want Jallikattu, cry protestors at Chennai's Marina BeachThe protesters got their boost with popular actor Vijay lending his support by saluting them."Law was not created to rob people off their tradition and rights but to protect it. Jallikattu is every Tamilian's identity. Those who are protesting against the ban on Jallikattu are united by the feeling that they are Tamilians but not out of compulsion or political pressure. I bow down to each and everyone of them," Vijay said in a video message.ACTOR VIJAY SEEKS ARRESTED PROTESTERS' RELEASE"I'd be really happy if those arrested are released immediately," he said.Actor Suriya, in between his promotional tour for upcoming Tamil action "C3", lashed out at animal rights advocacy group PETA, which is aggressively campaigning against Jallikattu.ALSO READ: Jallikattu: Madras HC refuses to interfere, says Chennai's Marina Beach not a place to protestActor G. V. Prakash, singer-lyricist Arunraja Kamaraj and filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj joined supporters on ground on Tuesday.While Prakash and Arunraja are observing silent protest at Marina beach here, Karthik is leading the crowd in Madurai.Thousands of youth who began their protest in Alanganallur on Monday against a Supreme court ban on the bull-taming sport, were taken into custody by police on Tuesday as the protest extended overnight.ALSO READ: Tamil Nadu: More than 500 detained for protesting in support of Jallikattu   Police housed the protesters -- both men and women, who had assembled in the town famous for conducting Jallikattu -- in nearby wedding halls.ALANGANALLUR VILLAGERS TAKE TO STREETSAngered by the arrests, villagers in Alanganallur came out on the streets.In Jallikattu, a bull vaulter is expected to hang on to the animal's hump for a stipulated distance or hold on to the hump for a minimum of three jumps made by the bull.The sport is traditionally held as part of the four-day Pongal festival in the state.The Supreme Court in May 2014 banned the conduct of Jallikattu.The court also held that bulls cannot be used as performing animals either for Jallikattu events or for bullock-cart races in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra or elsewhere in the country.Ever since the ban, people have been demanding the central government take necessary steps to allow the conduct of the sport.