Despite the State government announcing that jallikattu will be held at Alanganallur on Sunday through the promulgation of an ordinance, the situation here remained tense on Saturday as the agitators refused to budge until a ‘permanent solution’ to the issue is found, plunging the planned conduct of the sport into doubt.
Even as a meeting convened by the district administration with a few jallikattu organising committee members in Madurai city got under way on Saturday, the protesters insisted that the committee members did not represent the village and that jallikattu would not happen on Sunday morning.
Arrangements at the jallikattu arena in the village was brought to a halt following protests by a group of locals. Subsequently, Madurai Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao and Superintendent of Police Vijayendra S. Bidari arrived at the village in a bid to placate the protesters. Though Mr. Rao explained to the agitators that the ordinance route was taken only to ensure the immediate conduct of the sport and that they would ensure that the annual event is conducted every year going forward, the protesters were in no mood to relent.
R. Muthupandi, a villager, said that although he and his relatives owned Jallikattu bulls, they were determined not to bring them to the arena on Sunday. “We will also ensure that no bulls from outside reach the village until a permanent solution is found,” he added.
Though many villagers insisted on a permanent solution, few could articulate what they meant by that. “Some say that an amendment by the Union government to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act will be a lasting solution. Anyway, that is for the government to sort out. We want a solution that cannot be challenged in the future,” said A.P. Saravana Kumar, a protester.
Scores of agitators braved the rains to remain at the site of the protest until late on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, at Tamukkam grounds in Madurai, S. Jeyakumar, a protester, contended that the ordinance move by the State government was merely an attempt to remove the massive crowds protesting on the sands of the Marina Beach in order to pave the way for the Republic Day parade on January 26.
Stating that the youth did not have any faith in the ordinance, which they viewed only as a temporary solution, he said, “The government wants to conduct jallikattu in a hurried manner on Sunday, as they know that People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will secure a stay order from the Apex Court by Monday.” “We are ready to continue the protest year after year. But why should we be begging the government or the Supreme Court for jallikattu every year?” he questioned.
