CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has seen many protests. But nothing so widespread to qualify as an uprising. What still remains intriguing is how and why this protest became so viral now, given that this is only the third year Jallikattu was not conducted.
The spread of the protests for Jallikattu is way too phenomenal when compared to the protests on more burning issues the state faced—Cauvery, Mullaiperiyar and the Sri Lankan Tamil killings in the Eelam war. Why did so many people from different walks of life feel they must protest?
Is it the social media? Or resurgence of Tamil pride? Or anger over several of the perceived injustices to the State? The protests did not start just overnight. Last few weeks the social media was full of stuff protesting the ban on the Jallikattu and popular narration was along two lines.
One, a western corporate businesses trying to stall Jallikattu to destroy the native cattle breeds. Two, Tamils discriminated in India by taking away their tradition through the same courts whose ruling did not guarantee the State’s rights in inter-state water disputes.
As days progressed, it was not just about Jallikattu. The jeans-clad youth even advocated from Bovonto to Silambattam—anything they saw as native. The issues that were discussed among the crowds at Marina soon spread to Cauvery and Eelam.