Jallikattu restricts political breeding: No space for netas in Occupy Marina stir | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Jallikattu restricts political breeding: No space for netas in Occupy Marina stir

Chennai, Hindustan Times | By, Chennai
Jan 20, 2017 12:44 AM IST

So far, the mass upsurge for Jallikattu, the ancient bull-taming sport of Tamil Nadu, is strictly apolitical and sans celebs taking over a “ready-made” platform as masses comprising students, professionals and people from different walks of life barred them from taking centrestage.

So far, the mass upsurge for Jallikattu, the ancient bull-taming sport of Tamil Nadu, is strictly apolitical and sans celebs taking over a “ready-made” platform as masses comprising students, professionals and people from different walks of life barred them from taking centrestage.

Students hold posters during a protest rally to lift the ban on Jallikattu and demanding a ban be imposed on PETA at Kamarajar Salai in Marina Beach in Chennai on Wednesday.(PTI Photo)
Students hold posters during a protest rally to lift the ban on Jallikattu and demanding a ban be imposed on PETA at Kamarajar Salai in Marina Beach in Chennai on Wednesday.(PTI Photo)

It is for the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu that such an upsurge has been witnessed without the involvement of a political party, all of which were kept out deliberately by students and youth at the forefront of the movement. If TN ministers came, they came in the darkness and were not encouraged by protesters to stay. DMK working president MK Stalin came and retreated after offering support that was not solicited or responded to.

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Read I What is Jallikattu? All you need to know about the bull-taming sport

Is it an encore of an Anna movement that gave birth to a political party in the north? Political analysts are sure that on this count, parties can breathe easy as the divisions in society that the political class exploits are pretty much intact.

Read I Jallikattu is unacceptable: Argument that it’s Tamil culture doesn’t hold up

Besides, as one of the people behind Jallikattu protests, Sankaranrayanan Balakrishnan of Tirunelveli, said, “These protests are completely apolitical and also have no political agenda at all. If eventually something emerges out of this pent-up fury remains to be seen.”

Read I VHP says people against Jallikattu must demand ban on cow slaughter

But what has brought together people is fury and disappointment of years of “injustice” as the people see, whether it was the Sri Lankan Tamil issue (genocide of Tamils), Cauvery issue, Mullaiperiyar issue or the current Jallikattu issue, said Prof AR Venkatachalapathy of Madras Institute of Development Studies.

The political class has to read the message given by the masses. “There is a huge trust deficit and people do not believe politicians anymore. And they don’t expect parties to work out solutions either,” Venkatachalapthy said.

But there is a feeling that the BJP has bungled and there is growing anger against the Centre, he said, something that Prof Ramu Manivannan of Madras University agrees with. And with Sasikala seen to be siding with BJP and the spectacle of ministers and MLAs touching her feet is also being disliked by many people, he said.

Read I AR Rahman to go on a day-long fast in support of Jallikattu

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    KV Lakshmana is the Tamil Nadu bureau chief of Hindustan Times. He covers social, economic and political changes in the state and neighbourhood.

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