Students from various educational institutions continued their protest vigil demanding the lifting of ban on the conduct of jallikkattu with the passionate zeal that marked their demonstration in the past two days here in Thanjavur on Friday.
All roads led to the Head Post Office-Railway Junction area as the stir entered its fourth day with no sigh of strain on the part of enthusiastic students that even forced some educational institutions to drop their students in their own buses just near the protest venue.
Students are clear on their two-point agenda: Lifting the ban on jallikkattu that reflects the culture of the Tamil race and instead ban PETA that is the cause of the ban. More and more students, women, families and institutions began to lend their moral support to the protesting students by turning up at the venue and offering vocal support to them during the day.
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Most of the shops remained shut during the day in support of the striking students while members of the Tourist Taxi Operators Association parked their vehicles in an orderly fashion and sat on a day long fast at the Government ITI Grounds opposite the Collector’s Bungalow to show their solidarity.
In Kumbakonam, students braved a brief of spell of rain to continue their protest along with their supporters. Protests were held in Papanasam, Tiruvaiyaru, Pattukkottai, Budalur, Orathanad, Peravurani and Adirampattinam in Thanjavur district during the day.
In Tiruvarur district, students were continuing their protest vigil in various places across the district including opposite the Tiruvarur Municipality and in Mannargudi for the fourth day without a break.
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In Mannargudi, students also organised a rooster due and played the silambattam to enthuse the crowds.
Stirs were conducted in 26 places in Tiruvarur district including Muthupettai, Tiruthuraipoondi, Kottur while in six places road rokos were staged to highlight the demand for lifting the ban on jallikkattu.
In Nagapattinam district, students continued their protest for the third day in front of the Nagapattinam Head Post Office.
Students protests were also held at Mayiladuthura, Sirkazhi and Vedaranyam in the district.
In Kariakal, fishermen abstained from venturing into sea in support of the jallikattu even while a group of students continued their protest on the beach.
Four persons climbed atop a mobile phone tower in the town but were persuaded to climb down by the police.