CHENNAI: Six days after the confrontation on Marina beach, representatives of pro-Jallikattu protesters on Sunday thanked Chief Minister O Panneerselvam for his initiatives to ensure conduct of the brave sport and urged him to order immediate release of all the students arrested without any condition.
A four-member delegation, led by film director V Gowthaman, met Chief Minister at his residence and expressed their gratitude for promulgating the Jallikattu ordinance before passing Bill in the Assembly.
Students of Madras University, Parvaidasan and Pradeepkumar, and Aravind of Madras Christian College accompanied the film director who was in the forefront leading the protest.
“We appealed to the Chief Minister to order immediate release of all students who were arrested without any conditions. The cases foisted on them should be withdrawn,” Gowthaman said.
He said nearly 250 student-protesters were roughed up and dragged with injuries by police who later imprisoned them.
Apart from releasing the students, the government should provide enough compensation to the fishermen community who bore the brunt of police brutality, Gowthaman stressed and demanded that police should stop harassing innocent fisher-folk.
He also urged the Chief Minister to take stringent action against those police officials who attacked peaceful protesters at Avaniapuram (Madurai) on January 14 and at Marina beach on January 23.
Another team of Jallikattu protesters led by film actor Raghava Lawrence too met O Panneerselvam at his residence and thanked him for his efforts to uphold the cultural glory of Tamils.