Chennai: Asserting that Tamil identity buried caste politics and demolished religious differences during the jallikattu protests, DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Wednesday said the same spirit should be observed during the conduct of jallikattu.
In his letter to cadre in party organ ‘Murasoli’, Stalin said the people’s protests for jallikattu united Tamil Nadu and chants rose above all differences. Since, the protests cut across castes, there should not be caste discrimination in jallikattu, he said.
There are reports that people had started training the bulls and getting ready to hold the sport with enthusiasm. Recalling incidents in the past that when people of one caste was not allowed to hug the bulls of another caste, he called for ‘Samathuva jallikattu’ (Jallikattu with equality)
The protests had succeeded due to the uprising of people, he said and added that the central and state governments, which were unmoved after protests by opposition parties and jallikattu protesters had bowed to the people’s uprising.
People protested continuously forgetting food and sleep and they bore lathi charge and shed blood for jallikattu, he said and added that united jallikattu functions would make them happy. The DMK will be firm in its demand for action on police who turned the peaceful protests into violence, he added.
Stalin asks Prez to act on police lathicharge
DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Wednesday sent petitions to the President and National Human Rights Commission on the charges of police excesses on the jallikattu protesters on the Marina, along with 31 video clippings to support the allegations.
The petition contained demands to transfer the police officials involved in the police action and a judicial probe under a sitting judge of the Madras high court.
On January 23, when the amendment to PCA act to ensure jallikattu was passed in the Assembly, police suddenly used force to disperse the protesters. The Madras high court itself asked why the police disturbed the peaceful protests, Stalin pointed out in his petition.
He said police set fire to autorickshaws, beat the protesters and threw stones on them and such incidents had been videographed. They entered the nearby houses, dragged the inmates and attacked the people. The police assaulted women and behaved in an indecent manner, the DMK leader alleged. He asked the President to take action on the state government and ensure rule of law.
