Pro-jallikattu protests intensify in TN after Modi-Panneerselvam meeting

CHENNAI: Pro-jallikattu protesters in Tamil Nadu , especially those on Chennai’s Marina Beach, turned anti-Narendra Modi agitators on Thursday, after chief minister O Panneerselvam's talks with the Prime Minister didn’t yield the desired result. The protesters expected a promise from the Prime Minister on the immediate promulgation of an ordinance that would enable the conduct of the bull-taming sport in the state.
During his meeting with Panneerselvam in New Delhi earlier in the day, Modi declined to take step for the conduct of jallikattu as the matter is with the Supreme Court and so sub-judice.Though the Prime Minister appreciated the cultural significance of jallikattu and extended support to all steps taken by the state government, for thousands youngsters, who had been holding protests across the state for the last few days, Modi’s reply appeared to be a sign of disrespect to Tamil culture.
Poll: Are you in favour of jallikattu?
Placards with Modi's portrait struck down were distributed among the crowd on Marina Beach . Protesters shouted slogans against Modi, Panneerselvam, AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikalaa and Union Minister for child and women development Maneka Gandhi among others.
Opposition parties reacted strongly after the Pannerselvam-Modi meeting. DMK working president M K Stalin said it was “disappointing” that the Prime Minister refused to promulgate an ordinance. "On Wednesday, I said the chief minister must take representatives of all parties along with him when he went to meet the Prime Minister. But he wanted to meet the Prime Minister alone," said Stalin.
Stalin wanted the chief minister to immediately call an all-party meeting and also a special assembly session on Friday. "The special assembly session must pass a resolution on the issue. It is worrying that the Centre is turning a blind eye to the student protests. The chief minister must do whatever is possible so that the protest by students are called off," said Stalin.
PMK leader and former Union minister Anbumani Ramadoss said if the Centre fails to promulgates an ordinance, the party will hold a jallikattu event on January 26. "As the college students are protesting on their own, the government must react and promulgate an ordinance so that jallikattu can be held in the state. Otherwise PMK will hold jallikattu in all 32 districts on Republic Day," he said in a statement.
CITU auto union has called for auto strike on Friday. Auto drivers said while there are about 10 different unions in the city, most auto drivers are likely to comply with the strike call. Speaking to TOI, CITU leader P Balakrishnan said unions like the pro-DMK Thozhilalar Munnetra Sangam, AITUC, HMS and others would participate in the strike.
Around 10 unions of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation announced a 24 hour strike in Tamil Nadu expressing solidarity with the pro-jallikattu protesters. The strike will affect travel plans of several thousand passengers.
MTC unions are rumoured to be in discussions to announce strike plans of their own, which will cripple passenger movement in Chennai on Friday.
Support pours for protesters
Earlier in the day, several individuals helped the demonstrators on Marina Beach by supplying food, bread, biscuits and water packets.
Members of the Tamil film fraternity including actor and director Raghava Lawrence, actors Sathyaraj, Karthi and director V Gowthaman attended the meet. Karthi and Sathyaraj were spotted sitting among the protesters on the service lane.