Hundreds of activists, ‘jallikattu’ enthusiasts and members of the ‘Jalikattu Peravai’ converged at the Teppakulam here on Wednesday to protest the Supreme Court ban on the sport.
“There were occasions when ‘jallikattu’ came close to being banned but we overcame such situations. This time too, we hope that the State government will pass an ordinance for the conduct of the event, which is a symbol of our tradition and culture,” said P. Rajasekar, president of the Peravai.
‘No sport is safe’
Speaking about the recent death of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes after he was hit by a bouncer, an activist questioned the safety of cricket. “While people say that ‘jallikattu’ is unsafe, what about the other sports in which people get injured? They have not been banned,” he said. .
People from Dindigul, Theni, Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Virudhunagar and Namakkal participated in the protest in which native skills were showcased through ‘silambattam’ and ‘thappattam.’ Banners condemning the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and urging the government to allow the event to save natural breeds of cattle were on display.
“People who have fought for the ban have no basic understanding of the event. After the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act was passed, there have been no instances of violence against the bulls as claimed by PETA and other animal rights organisations,” stated Balakumar Somu, an animal rights activist from Coimbatore.
