Following the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the Tamil Nadu government’s laws permitting conduct of jallikattu, pro-jallikattu organisations in Madurai district welcomed it as a historic and landmark judgment.
In Madurai, people celebrated the verdict in front of ‘Tamil Annai’ statue near Tamukkam Ground. A bull was brought to the venue and people expressed happiness by bursting crackers, beating drums and distributing sweets to passersby.
M. Mani, who runs a jallikattu training centre, said he and his friends had participated in pro-jallikattu protests near Tamukkam Ground in 2017. It was fitting that they were celebrating the verdict at the same place, he said.
In Avaniapuram, Palamedu and Alanganallur, places known for major jallikattu events, local residents welcomed the judgment by celebrating in front of the vadivasal. They decorated the bulls and distributed sweets.
Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P. Moorthy hailed the verdict and distributed sweets to the public in the presence of Madurai Collector S. Aneesh Sekhar.
Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan said in jallikattu, either the bull won or the bull tamer won. But the verdict was a victory for both. Jallikattu was a reflection of Tamil culture, tradition and identity, he added.
State president of Jallikattu Peravai P. Rajasekar said it was a landmark jugdment. This put to rest the false allegations made against jallikattu, an event which was celebrated by the common man.
Recollecting the 2017 pro-jallikattu protests held all over Tamil Nadu, he said this was the victory of the people of the State.
Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, managing trustee of Senaapathy Kangayam Cattle Research Foundation said the verdict upheld the Right of the States to enact laws to protect their cultural interests. This verdict upheld the tradition and protected native livestock, he added.
