It was a sea of humanity at VOC Grounds in Coimbatore on Friday, with people from all walks of life congregating to protest for jallikattu for the fourth day.
As the protesters on the ground held placards, listened to speakers, and sat in silence demanding that jallikattu be held, crowds shouted slogans against PETA, and the Union and State Governments.
They took out rallies along roads outside the venue. The demand for conduct of the traditional sport was supported with thaarai thappattai beats by groups from different parts of the city and silambattam performances just outside the ground.
From Kodai Vallal Pari to Google head Sundar Pichai, the names of Tamil poets, artistes, historical figures, musicians, and even corporate heads who have made a mark in the international field were mentioned in some of the talks, and placards. The demands by some groups expanded to Tamil Eelam and Cauvery water too.
The ground and its surrounding areas witnessed a crowd not less than 35,000 on the fourth day of the protest on Friday. Lawyers practising at various courts in the city extended support to the protesters by staying away from work. Coimbatore district united Jamaat extended solidarity to the protesters by taking out a procession to the venue.
More number of families joined the protest on Friday as shops, hotels, bakeries, micro industrial units, and education institutions remained closed.
Pushpa was at the venue at 9.30 a.m. on Friday with her eight-month-old grand daughter and some other family members. “We have seen the jallikattu. I am here to take part in the protest as we are fighting for our rights,” she said. Vahitha of Ramanathapuram had come with her neighbours.
“I came for the protest with family members after seeing the enthusiasm of the students on TV. The crowd is a testimony of how Tamilians stand united,” said M. Chithra of Ondipudur who had come with her eight-month-old daughter Kavya and family members.
Thulasimani and her husband from Peelamedu came to the ground every day to take part in the protest. “We are here to support the students.
My daughter is working in an IT company in Chennai and she goes to the Marina. My elder daughter is in Trichy and she too takes part at the protests there,” said Thulasimani.
V. Ramasamy, an 86-year-old man from Saravanampatty who was spotted at the ground, said that the ambience of the protest being echoed in the ground reminded him of his participation anti-Hindi agitation in 1965 as a 30-year-old.
A group of five girls carrying the poster 'Free hugs to brave Tamil women' lauded the presence of women at the protest venue by giving them hugs.
Hundreds of students and volunteers formed human chains and distributed food packets, snacks, water packets and cool drinks, collected the waste plates, cups, and wrappers, ensured space for all those who gathered at the venue and regulated the crowd.
For smooth supply of food, water and other essential materials, the core group controlling protest made crowd to sit as multiple groups, creating ways for volunteers.
The volunteers and the crowd also efficiently handled movement of ambulances at times of minor medical emergencies.
Electrolyte, medicines, sanitary napkins were distributed at the medical centre, mobile phone charging facilities were organised, and several members of the public cooked food at home and came with their family members to the venue to distribute it to the protesters.
Apart from native people, people from other parts of the country settled in Coimbatore have also shared the spirit of pro-jallikattu protest.
“I had the luck of watching jallikattu once in Madurai and I was surprised by the valour of participants. The heroism of participants in jallikattu must be seen and believed as its much higher than that of the matadors in Spanish bullfighting. Having come to Coimbatore at the age of three, Tamil culture is deeply rooted in my blood and I easily understand their emotions,” said Tony Singh, a businessman.
A youth who attempted to hang himself at the protest venue created tension in the afternoon. He was pacified by other protesters.
A section of youth dumped carbonated beverages manufactured by foreign companies on LIC Road as part of the protest. Though roosters, stud bulls, and native cow breeds were brought to the venue, they were not permitted inside.
Trains blocked
Around 500 DMK activists staged a protest at the North Coimbatore Railway Junction on Friday morning, demanding that jallikattu be held.
Led by former Minister for Animal Husbandry Pongalur N. Palanisamy, and N. Karthik, MLA, they sat on the tracks and shouted slogans against the Union and State Governments.
Mr. Palanisamy said that it was wrong to blame the DMK for the ban on jallikattu as it had allowed the conduct of the sport until it was in power in 2011.
The protesters stopped the Kerala Express and the Vivek Express. The police removed the protesters.
One of the passengers of the Kerala Express was taken to a hospital as he suffered chest pain.
The DMK activists staged protest at railway junctions in Peelamedu and Irugur. The Government Law College students staged a protest at the Coimbatore Railway Junction.
The protest at the North Coimbatore Station delayed the running of trains.
Spirited trouble
With at least nine TASMAC outlets remaining open within 2km radius of the protest venue, miscreants in an inebriated condition created tension on roads outside VOC Grounds.
Near Park Gate junction on Dr. Nanjappa Road, a few men in high spirits blocked taxis and autorickshaws posing as supporters of jallikattu.
They threatened taxi and autorickshaw drivers to offer free rides to people and used filthy language against women accusing them that they were not supporting the protest.
Later, the police deployed additional men in front of TASMAC outlets to control unruly tipplers. Volunteers at the main venue restricted entry of people in a drunken state.
Those who thronged outside the protest venue were seen elated after Chief Minister made an announcement that an ordinance would be promulgated permitting jallikattu.
Some of the groups that were conducting separate protests around the main venue were not permitted inside the VOC Grounds.
Members of the core committee said that those coming as separate groups were not entertained as they were shifting the focus of the agitation.
Politics
Groups carrying posters and placards of political parties were kept at a bay.
A group of drama artists staged a hunger strike outside the main venue.
