Even as Pongal festivities end in Tamil Nadu, the clamour for ending the ban on jallikattu is only growing louder across the state. On Wednesday, people in Coimbatore, Kanchipuram, Erode, Tirunelveli etc have come out in huge numbers to call for an end to the ban on using the bull in traditional sports. Supporters are being mobilised using social media networks, with hashtags like #SaveOurCultureJallikattu and #JusticeforJallikattu trending on Twitter. While students are sitting in protest at Cuddalore, school kids in Erode have apparently joined the protests with drums and messages. In Kanchipuram, protesters took out a march, shouting slogans against PETA.
#jallikattu #SaveOurCultureJALLIKATTU #tnneedjallikatu #Jallikattuprotest #JallikattuIsOurBirthRight pic.twitter.com/mFhXXCQudY
— Mustafa Khan (@mustafasya8992) January 18, 2017
Meanwhile in Cuddalore college students gathered in support of jallikattu #SaveOurCultureJALLIKATTU pic.twitter.com/mPo76Acm2R
— Thala Ramesh (@rameappu) January 18, 2017
#Kanchipuram Sri Sankara College Of Arts And Science #Jallikattu_Protest #Support_Jallikattu #JusticeForJallikattu #SaveOurCultureJALLIKATTU pic.twitter.com/h7RpZlL7YH
— Jallikattu Mania (@KarthiSOfficial) January 18, 2017
In Coimbatore, people sat in protest and demanded that the ban be revoked, saying that the jallikattu is 5000 years old and the government has no business banning it.
NOw : #VOC park #Coimbatore #Kovai #JusticeforJallikattu #SaveOurCultureJALLIKATTU
— ⓜⓐⓝⓞⓙ ɖɧąŋųʂɧ ⓐⓓⓓⓘⓒⓣ (@manoj_dhanush) January 18, 2017
SEND OFF PETA FROM TAMILNADU @hiphoptamizha @iam_str pic.twitter.com/bMiybDbnin
Some pictures have also surfaced of people apparently protesting against jallikattu in London, Melbourne, Singapore, China, Russia, USA etc, with people holding up alphabet posters, forming messages like ‘Save Jallikattu’ and ‘We do Jallikattu”.
@narendramodi @PMOIndia see thisy don't u support this #SaveOurCultureJALLIKATTU pic.twitter.com/f8InZb6kxt
— I'm Viki (@Viki0076) January 18, 2017
#USA support for #jallikattu #JusticeforJallikattu #SaveOurCultureJALLIKATTU pic.twitter.com/9kWs1kx1HL
— JusticeForJallikattu (@thala_speaks) January 18, 2017
#SaveOurCultureJALLIKATTU this happen at #Melbourne salute you guys. #jallikattu #SaveJallikattu #Jallikattuprotest pic.twitter.com/KcJosTfDf0
— Mustafa Khan (@mustafasya8992) January 18, 2017
Members of the Tamil community in Ireland also came out onto the streets to voice their support for Jallikattu.
Support for Jallikattu from Ireland! #WeSupportJallikattu #wedojalikattu @SmileSettai @put_chutney @MemesChennai @Beingind pic.twitter.com/jpKMEt7eEG
— Pranesh Moorthi (@pranesht) January 15, 2017
Students in Coimbatore escalated their pro-Jallikattu protests as they continued to stay at the VOC grounds since Tuesday noon.
They refused to leave the VOC ground premises even after authorities switched off the flood lights in the evening. The protesters continued to shout slogans against the central government and Animal rights NGO, PETA.
The authorities switched on the lights after the students assembled there continued with their sloganeering and used the flashlights of their mobile phones.
On Tuesday, protests against jallikattu hit a massive surge after protesters in Alanganallur were detained by the police in the wee hours of the day. People started gathering at the Marina beach in Chennai, and several thousands spent the night there in protest.