CHENNAI: A bandh usually evokes images of empty roads. But a bandh called for
jallikattu brought more vehicles and people on to the roads and streets across
Tamil Nadu than usual on Friday, headed to various protests venues.
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Schools had declared a holiday in view of “transportation issues”. But ironically enough, hundreds of families with kids were on the roads – on minivans, two-wheelers, cars and bullock carts.
Chief minister O Paneerselvam declared twice on the day – first in the morning and then in the afternoon – that an ordinance would be promulgated soon and jallikattu would be held in two days. But the chief minister’s promise didn’t deter the determined crowd of protesters.
By afternoon, Chennai’s Marina Beach became a sea of humanity. Police said at least 4-5 lakh people visited Marina Beach throughout the day.
Main roads, streets and bylanes turned spots for people to dance to drumbeats, perform stunts, shout slogans in favour of jallikattu and against PeTA as well as criticise the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
There was a giant screen showing videos of jallikattu. Many stages were erected for students and activists to give rousing speeches.
On the lawns dotting the Marina, people danced, while families joined in the sloganeering. Slow-moving tempos and trucks on the Kamarajar Salai threw water-packets and biryani packets to the hungry and thirsty crowd, while youngsters regulated vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Roads leading to Marina were jam-packed, but people sitting in their cars were smiling. It was a rare sight when a woman urged her young daughter to get off the car and climb on to an open tempo where young men were dancing to drumbeats.
The sloganeering for jallikattu spread out to several streets and nooks across the city. In isolation smaller groups of families, residents, students and companies spilled out by the side of roads to protest with black flags and placards.
On Elliot’s Beach, where there was a modest crowd of not more than 100 people, protesters, including children, took turns to wear horns made out of plaster of Paris and mimic a jallikattu scenario. With drums beats and dancing, a yellow sedan led the protest with a life-size bull’s head attached.
Government staff too joined the chorus for jallikattu. After raising slogans in support of jallikattu inside Fort St George during their lunch hour, hundreds of members of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association took out a march in the evening from the secretariat to Marina Beach extending solidarity with the protesting youngsters.
Families from interiors slums had come on to the main roads along with their children holding placards and chanting slogans in RA Puram, Adyar, Velachery and other places. “We want Jallikattu! Tamil Nadu wants Jallikattu!” screamed a school boy leading a mini-procession of his friends and family near MG Road.
IT companies such as Evoplus in Besant Nagar had shut office. Techies came out to the streets wearing black clothes and a board with a sketch of a bull was hanging around their necks. “We want jallikattu,” they kept chanting before heading to Marina Beach. “We have deadlines to meet, we will incur a loss today. But it is a collective emotion and we want to join our fellows until the ban is lifted,” said Muthu from the digital marketing company.
More than 600 Kilpauk Medical College students formed a human chain for two hours on the campus.
Top Tamil film actors like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Ajith, Suriya, Dhanush and several others gathered at the South Indian Artistes’ Association (SIAA) headquarters in T Nagar for a silent protest in solidarity with the youth of Tamil Nadu who have been protesting for the conduct of jallikattu. President of SIAA (better known as Nadigar Sangam) Nasser headed the silent protest, along with general secretary Vishal, treasurer Karthi and vice-president Ponvannan.
In
Trichy
, over 50,000 people gathered at the MGR statue roundabout. People, including women and their children, came and spent time with students, raising slogans, holding placards and helping them show strength for the cause.
Support also poured in – in terms of food sufficient to run the show for next two days. Adding to sloganeering at the protest sight, traditional sport like silambattam and dances were performed.
The situation was the same in Madurai. Dance and other entertainment programmes were held at different protest venues.