There has been an outpouring of protest in Tamil Nadu in recent days over the ban on Jallikattu, the traditional bull-run festival that’s opposed tooth and nail by animal protection activists. With the Supreme Court placing a ban on the sport that’s played around the time of Tamil New Year or Pongal, the sport remained suspended for the past few years.
There has been a concerted attempt this year to revive the game, with internet-induced text-messaging crowds taking the lead and converging on Chennai’s popular Marina Beach in a protest against the ban. This has been going on for the past six days. The issue has taken a very serious proportion indeed and it has in it an assertion of Tamil culture, feelings of sub-nationalism that Tamils are known for, and concerns about cruelty to animals.
With the Union and State governments budging to the demand for revocation of the ban, the Supreme Court has held back its word on a review petition for a week, and the Centre has given the go-ahead to the state government to promulgate an ordinance allowing the game.
That facilitated holding of the Jallikattu across Tamil Nadu on Sunday. However, the main event in Madurai that chief minister O Panneerselvam was to participate in could not be held. Protesters insisted that a permanent solution be found for the uninterrupted conduct of the game for all times to come. In view of this, the state government has promised to bring out a bill in the state assembly this week that will replace the ordinance and clear the hurdles in the way of the game.
There is a strong feeling among the average Tamil that the hegemony of Delhi (read Hindi speaking Northerner) is rearing its ugly head through political brokers especially from a particular caste dominating the political, economic & social discourses.
Banning of Jallikattu is the proverbial last straw on the back of the camel already overloaded with anguish and anger simmering in the minds of Tamil youth in general and students in particular. The latest anger is due to the refusal of central government to establish Cauvery Management Board despite direction by the Supreme Court and demonetisation that led to the humiliation of begging for own money deposited in banks.
This Jallikattu upsurge is an assertion of Tamil democratic right to be heard before the State takes crucial decisions on cultural, economic, political and social issues. This has posed a direct challenge to the style of governance — non-transparent, non-participatory and non-inclusive — that is being practised both in the Centre and the State. To that extent it is welcome and needs to be lauded and that is probably why many now call it “Thamizh Vasantham” (Tamil Spring).
Tamil Nadu faces multiplicity of issues that remain unresolved. These include servile leaders who, after Jayalalithaa, have knelt before Delhi, severe drought and agrarian crisis, acute water shortage (rural and urban), economic stagnation, sharp deterioration in quality of education system, dismal standards of many colleges and other educational institutes, rise in unemployment, loss of livelihood, loot and pollution of natural resources and to top it all, free-flow of liquor.
Jallikattu issue may be temporarily resolved by Tamil Nadu Government with the concurrence of Central Government issuing an ordinance. But the long festering issues may remain as they are, and TN youth in general, and students in particular, could continue to assert their democratic rights.
The holding of Jallikattu in various parts of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, with participation of state ministers in districts, has had its bloody side. Two deaths and injuries to over 50 people have been reported from the events that had mass participation. Hence, not just animal rights but human rights are also involved.
What cannot be overlooked is that this game has been played in a festive spirit across rural Tamil Nadu from time immemorial. In fact, this is the game that added zest to the Pongal celebrations in the countryside.
There have been instances of both humans and animals participating in the game getting killed and injured, but that has not prevented the holding of the game until the Supreme Court intervened. What added to people’s anger is that they saw the ban as one that is dictated to them from New Delhi — or the North — something that Tamils have never been comfortable with.
Tamils are steadfast in upholding the Dravidian culture, or shades of it. With text-messaging systems and social media being active these days, a campaign against the ban this time won instant backing from large segments of the youth, and Marina Beach turned into the focal point of their protests.
The ruling Anna DMK has been put on the defensive for its inability to get the SC ban vacated, and the Opposition DMK was swift to come up with strong backing to the protesters. At the same time, it is widely noted that the protesters kept politics and politicians out of the sphere of their protests, so as to have this retained as a mass movement. No party flag fluttered at the beach protest.
Notably, a similar game held in adjoining Andhra Pradesh on the occasion of Sankranti — that also fell a week ago — had cocks fighting, and in a lethal way, but without direct involvement of humans in the fight. The game is of two fighter cocks with knives tied to their feet engaging in a fiery fight, and one of them getting killed by the other.
Large-scale betting, liquor sale and the like happen around the venue of these games, giving it a great commercial thrust as well. While the Supreme Court had banned this, too, ruling party politicians disengaged cops from the scene and have the game conducted without any hitch. It was a virtual defiance of the apex court order, but no issue has been raised.
Supreme Court is not just another institution. Its words should be heeded. Sadly, that is not happening in most instances nowadays. While no game that involves harm to animals or humans can be encouraged, how a delicate balance can be struck in such social circumstances, is a daunting task for our system.
Such obsessions are inhuman. While contra opinions against cruelty to animals must be heeded, alternative modes of celebrations may be difficult to set in motion to mark celebrations such as Tamil New Year or Sankranti.
