Jallikattu protest is for change: Ramadoss

By Venkatachari Jagannathan

Chennai, Jan 21 (IANS) Call it by whatever name, the protest by the Tamil Nadu youth -- students and working professionals -- against the ban on for Jallikattu has no parallel in the recent times and is welcome, former Union Minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss.

The youth in Tamil Nadu took up the Nammuku Namme protest disenchanted by the political leadership on several issues.

Putting themselves to sufferings like the satyagrahis during the freedom movement the protesting youth suffered the burning sun and the chilly nights for five days at Marina beach. They demand the conducting of Tamil Nadu's traditional Jallikattu bull-taming sport.

"Even though the people of Kudankulam in Tirunelvelli district went on hunger strike for several days, the protest had a leader. However, there is no such defined leadership in the case of Jallikattu protests," Ramadoss told IANS on Friday night from New Delhi.

Similarly the protest by the India Against Corruption couple of years back had a leadership and the protests were held in different cities, Ramadoss added.

Queried about the protestors keeping out the politicians and actors Ramadoss said: "I am happy at the development though I myself am a politician."

"For the past two years I have been talking about such a movement and it is finally happening. Though I am a politician and politicians have been kept out by the protestors, it is a good beginning," Ramadoss added.

According to him the protest is the culmination of various issues on with Tamil Nadu and its people were at the receiving end.

The continued ban on Jallikattu was the tipping point for the massive protest by the youth as Tamil Nadu and Tamilians, who have been at the receiving end on several issues like the denial of Cauvery river water by Karnataka and the central government's inaction, non-stop attack on the Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Lankan Navy, the general political situation in the state and other issues, the protestors told IANS.

"Tamil Nadu has been betrayed by the central government," Ramadoss echoed the protestors sentiment.

"I am specifically using the term Tamil fishermen and not Indian fishermen as the central government does not consider them as Indian fishermen. The response of the central government would not be indifferent if fishermen from Gujarat were attacked," Ramadoss added.

Ramadoss said the Jallikattu protest by the youth is also a warning to the media as the social media is gaining people's faith and the media losing the same.

According to Ramadoss, the ordinance to be passed by the Tamil Nadu government for the conduct of Jallikattu is only a temporary measure.

"The permanent solution is the amendment of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act," he said.

The Supreme Court in May 2014 banned Jallikattu, saying that bulls cannot be used as performing animals, including for bullock-cart races.

Since then, people have been urging the central government to take steps to allow the sport.

The central government on Friday evening gave its nod to the Tamil Nadu government's ordinance to enable holding of Jallikattu.