Right from the freedom struggle to the anti-Hindi agitation and even highlighting the problems of Tamils in Sri Lanka, students have always led from the front and even courted arrest. But as far as jallikattu is concerned, it should be borne in mind that the matter is sub-judice. Why hasn’t the student community not fought so vehemently and voiced its grievances in critical matters such as when the Karnataka government failed to release water to Tamil Nadu even when the Supreme Court ordered it? In both cases it was the Supreme Court which issued the orders. Finally, I have this to say to certain parties now demanding the ordinance route for a reintroduction of jallikattu. How much time will it take for the Supreme Court to stay the ordinance? No one should play politics in this matter and lead students astray hoping to reap political dividends.
A. Michael Dhanaraj,
Coimbatore
Marina beach seems to be the meeting point of minds. They all seem to concur on one thing — that the Tamil identity is under threat. But why are even the law abiding wading into something which is essentially sub-judice? From Viswanathan Anand to A.R. Rahman to R. Ashwin, even those who appear rational have expressed solidarity with the protesters. I hope the protesting youngsters and their backers in the shadows are aware that the Supreme Court’s ire is not exclusively against jallikattu. The top court has banned similar events in Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.
J. Akshay,
Bengaluru
The youth who have taken to the streets to demand the lifting of the ban on jallikattu must be lauded for upholding the tradition of non-violent protest that started with the anti-colonial struggle. At the same time, one is disappointed to see that the air is thick with intolerance. The right to protest comes with a concomitant responsibility to respect other points of view. The silencing of anti-jallikattu voices through threats and intimidation is a blot on democracy. The social media zeitgeist of trolling cannot be replicated in the public square which has to be shared with fellow citizens even if some of them express different views and espouse different causes that may not be to the liking of the majority. Nothing endangers democracy more than the tyranny of the majority.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
The role of the media leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to coverage of and reportage on the unfolding agitation and protests in Tamil Nadu. Is the Fourth Estate being truthful and is justice being done to cover other events of importance? Is jallikattu the only news of importance? Whys is there no coverage of the drought-like situation looming large in Tamil Nadu?
A.V. Narayanan,
Tiruchi
The event has been magnified beyond proportion. The holding of jallikattu is a day’s event and for just one day in a year, especially in the Pillanallur and Alanganallur areas of Tamil Nadu. Past statistics were not so alarming as to impose a ban. In 2003, when the Madras High Court permitted jallikattu with precautions, the then Collector of Madurai ensured that it went off without a hitch. Had the government been asked to continue following this procedure, these protests could have been avoided.
R.V.S. Mani,
Chennai
The growing clamour for jallikattu is misplaced. The opposition to the sport by animal rights activists has been on grounds of cruelty to animals. On the other hand, it is a gory activity exposing young men to serious injury and worse. It is a continuation of a feudalistic tradition. The sport is largely organised in four southern districts only and not across the State. The bulls are owned by landlords who organise the sport for pride and prestige. Invariably, young men from the poorer sections are the victims. There is a need for progressive thought on the issue instead of an emotive response, parochialism, chauvinism and political opportunism.
V.S. Prasad,
Hyderabad
Like most schoolchildren, I had just a faint idea about the jallikattu issue and PETA group. I began reading up material after schools were closed and the electronic media began to show visuals of groups of people, including children and old women, protesting. It is moving to see the kind of support and dedication they have for their culture. But what concerns me is the tremendous amount of “youth energy” that is being wasted. People leading the protests and most of their supporters appear to have very little knowledge about the issue. When a reporter poses the question about what the main motive is, the standard reply is: “We want jallikattu” or “Ban PETA”. The energy of the young is a powerful asset but is it being put to good use here? Where were all these supporters when we really needed them? Why are issues such as women’s rights, rape and molestation the last on their list of concerns?
Kavya Venkatesh,
Coimbatore
One is surprised by the magnitude and intensity of the protests. All this for a rural sport? Last year, when a Dalit youth was hacked to death in daylight for the “crime” of daring to marry an upper caste girl I thought that there would be protests across Tamil Nadu. Instead, only a few Dalit parties protested. There was absolutely no uprising like now.
Tradition can be a double-edged sword. There are numerous examples of atrocities against Dalits in the name of tradition. We have cast off many of them and are none the worse for it. Why hang on to jallikattu alone?
For those who wish to demonstrate their valour, why not join the armed forces? Despite all the denials, most bulls are tortured in various ways to make them run more wildly. It is very difficult to regulate or prevent this as the police cannot be everywhere. It is also dicey to ask the Centre to override the Supreme Court order through the ordinance route. It also shows a lack of respect for the law of the land. PETA and the AWBI are bound to file suits. Then we’ll start going round the mulberry bush once again.
Vathsala Vijayakumar,
Chennai
Whether jallikattu should be banned on the basis of animal cruelty or other special interests related to it is debatable. It would be imbalanced to look at it only from the angle of animal cruelty. Various organisations and governments that argue for the prevention of cruelty against animals should consider the aspects of vitality, strength, health and vigour in this sport. The “suffering” of the bull during the taming lasts only for a few minutes. On the other hand, caged zoo animals, stray dogs and even abandoned pet animals suffer pain for a longer period to which animal rights organisations turn a blind eye to. Rationally, jallikattu can be allowed to continue with proper implementation of a jallikattu act.
Meera Mary Joseph,
Pathanamthitta, Kerala
