Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday refused to overturn a Supreme Court ban on a festival featuring young men wrestling with bulls that has brought thousands onto the streets of Tamil Nadu in protest.
Residents of the state say the Jallikattu festival is a crucial part of their culture and are demanding the ban be lifted.
Critics say the festival is cruel and that organisers lace the bulls’ feed with liquor to make them less steady on their feet and throw chilli powder into their faces to send them into a sudden frenzy as they are released from a holding pen.
The Supreme Court outlawed Jallikattu last year after a plea by animal rights groups, which have long argued that the event – held every year in different parts of Tamil Nadu during the harvest festival of Pongal – abuses the animals.
Tensions have been escalating for the last week after hundreds of people were detained by police for allegedly organising local Jallikattu contests in defiance of the court ban.
Thousands of protesters have gathered on the Marina Beach in Chennai and other cities.
Thousands of small factories, shops and schools were closed across Tamil Nadu for a second day yesterday.
Children carried placards blaming the judiciary and animal rights groups for the ban.
“It is a primitive sport and we love it. No one has the right to stop a sporting activity,” said Kanimozhi Subramanian, 23, a university student spearheading youth protests.
“We fear that the protests could get violent or a stampede could lead to loss of lives. It is hard to contain the outrage,” said Deputy Police Commissioner G Shasshank Sai.
Chief Minister O Panneerselvam flew to New Delhi to ask Modi to issue an ordinance allowing the festival this year.
“The ban imposed on Jallikattu by the Supreme Court came up for discussion,” Modi’s office said on Twitter after the two men met.
“While appreciating the cultural significance of Jallikattu, the prime minister observed that the matter is presently sub judice” or prohibited from public discussion because it is still under judicial consideration.
Scores of students from Tamil Nadu held protests in New Delhi in support of Jallikattu.
“This is an attack on our culture,” said Manikanda Venkatesh, a student from Tamil Nadu.
“People who have never been to Tamil Nadu are telling us about about culture and calling it barbaric. The farmers treat these bulls like their children and no parent can be cruel to their child.
“This is not a festival for Tamils but also for the bulls, which show their prowess. Through Jallikattu the farmers are able to find the best bulls, which helps in breeding of native species.”
Pangaj Easwaa, another student from Tamil Nadu, said that while he respected the Supreme Court, he would not tolerate attempts “to amend our cultural practices”.
“What is the harm is Jallikattu? No bulls are killed in the festival.”
Unlike in traditional Spanish bullfighting, the animals are let loose into open fields and young men then compete to subdue them bare-handed.
Organisers insist the animals suffer no harm and Jallikattu is an established part of Tamil culture.
A legal expert said the prime minister could in theory issue an ordinance overturning the Supreme Court ruling, although such a move would be rare.
Police say the protests have remained peaceful so far but have spread to large parts of Tamil Nadu.




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