Jallikattu supporters hold mega rally in Chennai

Scores of jallikattu supporters on Sunday organised a rally seeking permission to hold the bull-taming sport coinciding with the Tamil harvest festival of Pongal, a week away.

More than 5000 ‘Jallikattu’ supporters gathered at Marina beach seeking permission for holding it, against which the Supreme Court upheld a ban last year.

Most of them insisted that they did not owe allegiance to any outfit or political party but wanted the 'traditional Tamil sport' to be conducted this Pongal, i.e the coming week. Folk percussion instruments and a decorated bull added to the scene at Marina.

Crowds stretched upto a kilometer long on the beach road in Marina and the event dominated Tamil news channels all morning, with channels beaming live and continuing the programming through the day.

“Bull Taming” is not just a sport, it is a part of the Indian identity which has been slowly weaned away from us, and today corporates and so-called animal lovers are teaming to put an end to this age-old tradition which has ensured that the best Indian breeds are carried forward and protected for future generations," says TRB Rajaa, the MLA of Mannargudi, who participated in the rally in an independent capacity.

Apart from this, young volunteers – mostly college students – observed a day-long fast seeking urgent measures to address the farmers’ problems in the state following drought in many districts.