CHENNAI: Scores of 'jallikattu' supporters today organised a rally here seeking permission to hold the bull-taming sport coinciding with the Tamil harvest festival of Pongal, a week away. Separately, young volunteers, mostly college students, observed a day-long fast seeking urgent measures to address the farmers' problems in the state following drought in many districts.
At the Marina beach, hundreds of Jallikattu suppporters turned up seeking permission for holding it, against which the Supreme Court upheld a ban last year. The volunteers held banners and posters demanding that the sport be held this year. Most of them insisted that they did not owe allegiance to any outfit or political party but wanted the 'traditional Tamil sport' to be conducted this Pongal, i.e the coming week. Folk percussion instruments and a decorated bull added to the scene at Marina.
The Supreme Court in November last had dismissed the plea of the state government seeking review of its 2014 judgement banning use of bulls for jallikattu events in the state. Political parties including DMK have been pressing the Centre and state government to take steps to hold the sport coinciding with Pongal this year. At Chepauk, a group of volunteers sat on a day-long fast seeking measures to address the agrarian distress in the state following drought. In both cases, the volunteers, mainly comprising the young and educated, said they were drawn by online messages spread through Facebook and Whatsapp. Those participating in the fast wanted Tamil Nadu to be declared 'drought-hit' and urged the government to hold talks with ryots to address their grievances.