Ramanathapuram: Students and pro-jallikattu activists who continued protests in support of jallikattu for the fourth day on Saturday were in a confused state as a section of them hailed the Tamil Nadu government’s ordinance, lifting the ban on jallikattu, while other section resolved to continue the protest till a permanent solution was found to the issue.
Hours after the government came out with ‘The prevention of cruelty to animals (Tamil Nadu amendment) ordinance, 2017’, paving way for the conduct of jallikattu, Additional Superintendent of Police T. Inbamani held talks with the protesters near the Collectorate complex here and asked them to call off the stir.
As the government conceded their demand for conducting jallikattu, the students and supporters should end the protest, he said. While a section of them were convinced and returned home, others said they would continue the protest till the government found a permanent solution.
After television channels flashed news about the ordinance, the crowd started dwindling at the protest venues, police said. Hundreds of students and supporters resumed the protest at 20 places in the district on Saturday morning and by evening, the protests were held only in ten places and the total number of protesters in all the venues came down to 325, police said.
A brief spell of sharp showers lashed several parts of the district forcing the protesters to disperse. A day after women thronged the protest venues with children and offered support it was the turn of retired police personnel, pensioners and elders to express their solidarity.
In Sivaganga, students and jallikattu supporters continued the protest braving incessant rains since Saturday morning. Here too, the protesters were divided on continuing the stir with one section hailed the ordinance as victory for the protest. ‘We will call off the agitation after the Vaadi vaasal’ is opened on Sunday”, they said. Another section, however, said that the ordinance was only a temporary relief and they would continue the protest till a permanent solution was found.
