Karaikudi: Residents of Koviloor near here staged a demonstration on Wednesday, urging the State and Central governments to facilitate conduct of ‘jallikattu’ and ‘manju virattu’ and ban People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), “which has been acting with ulterior motives”.
S. Rajkumar, president of Makkal Mandram, who led the protest, said the villagers had been organising jallikattu and manju virattu as part of Pongal celebration ever year and banning the sports would amount to infringing on their fundamental right and religious freedom.
As there was no sign of the Centre taking steps to lift the ban on jallikattu and manju virattu, the villagers would organise the bull-taming sports during Pongal, they said, and appealed to the police to remain passive.
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There were ulterior motives behind PETA opposing jallikattu. It was part of an international conspiracy to wipe out native breeds of bulls, they alleged.
Almost every rural family in the southern and western districts of the State reared native breeds of bulls and the ban on jallikattu would make the animals extinct over a period of time, Mr. Rajkumar said.