Chennai: The showdown between the Naam Tamizhar Katchi members and the rest of the jallikattu congregation at the VOC stadium ground in Tirunelveli on Saturday and the expression of distress by the ‘original’ jallikattu campaign authors on Sunday night at a press conference in Chennai over being pushed aside by ‘extreme’ elements, have turned the amber light on the mass protests that have been sweeping Tamil Nadu over the issue.
The NTK speakers at the Tirunelveli rally had raised slogans for a separate Tamil nation and called for boycott of the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. Rather than salute the national flag, they must wear black badges as a show of mourning, they told the congregation. A large group of students, who were the initial organisers of the protest rally, stood up and objected. Upon this, their mike was snatched away by the NTK functionaries — NTK had made arrangements for the mike and speakers, besides the shamiana, food and water — and more separatist slogans were raised. The students then left the shamiana and began fasting at a separate place in the VOC ground, braving the rain.
Some people tried to bring peace between the two groups but the students were unrelenting, insisting that anti-national and separatist slogans should not figure in a jallikattu campaign. The students turned down NTK’s food packets and water, and brought water in pots from nearby houses. A fourth-year engineering student Nanda was hospitalised after he swooned due to dehydration, eyewitnesses said.
Madurai Jallikattu Peravai leader Rajasekaran, leading campaigner Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, “hip hop” Tamizha Adhi and Veera Vilayatu Kazhagam leader Rajesh called for an ‘emergency press meet’ at the Chennai Press Club at 6 pm Sunday and shifted the time to 8 pm and then to 9 pm due to extreme pressure from the ‘new leaders’ at the Marina who launched an all-out attack on social media on the four men branding them as collaborators in a ‘fascist’ plot by the Centre and the state government to break the jallikattu campaign.
An extract from one such WhatsApp reads: “….The struggle that started for jallikattu now has gained enough momentum to rebel against fascist nationalism under the Modi govt., against Hindutva Brahminism and against global imperialism, demanding an end to the suffering of people in every corner…” And that clearly means that the bulls are galloping way beyond the jallikattu track, say worried state officials, pointing out that the goal-post was being shifted quickly — starting with the demand for ordinance to run the bulls, to permanent legislation for unhindered jallikattu, to Cauvery, to Katchatheevu and Eelam.
“Indications are clear that a few fringe groups have taken charge, cleverly manipulating the emotions of the masses, particularly the young people. The students who stood up against the NTK anti-nationals in Tirunelveli are real heroes; it’s a pity that many educated and intelligent youth are refusing to see the danger in following these extreme elements”, lamented a senior police officer.
NTK chief Seeman told Deccan Chronicle that he was proud of the students’ movement and the protest is one of the “biggest revolutions” that the Tamil race has ever seen. “I have been talking about these issues for the past 7 years and am proud that I sowed the seeds for the protest. If you blame me for this, I am happy to take the blame,” Mr Seeman said.
A Saravanan of Makkal Kalai Ilakiya Kazhagam, which has also been involved in the protests, said the protest was not just limited to jallikattu but to protect the Tamil culture and identity. Mr Saravanan also said there was no need for “instigating the students” as they are very clear on what they want. “We have just been helping them by giving water and other things,” he said. May 17 Movement’s Praveen also spoke in the same vein, saying the Tamil Nadu Government was misleading by saying that the Ordinance was enough.
However, ‘hip-hop’ Adhi said there were incidents of “disrespecting the national flag” like trampling it and those people had no connection with the jallikattu protest. “Why should the national flag be insulted in this protest?” he asked.
A political analyst, who did not want to be quoted, asked the students to get back home since their academics was also important. “Why are these fringe elements holding the students back? Students’ studies is also important and they should let them get back home and colleges,” he said.
