Followed by an enactment of legislation by the Tamil Nadu government to facilitate conduct of jallikattu, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it would withdraw its 2016 notification allowing the bull taming sport in the state, in view of the fresh legislation, passed by the state assembly.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra that the Centre has decided to withdraw the January 6, 2016 notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest allowing the sport. The court said the concerned bench would take a decision on when the application of the Centre would come up for its consideration. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 2017, piloted by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam was unanimously adopted by a voice vote in the Assembly after brief debate. The new Bill would now be sent for approval to the President.
Meanwhile, protests in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu have turned violent as police cracked down on protesters even after the six-day old Marina Beach demonstration was called off after the bill was passed to replace ordinance allowing the banned sport. Following crackdown, Marina beach, Teynampet and Sellur in Madurai, and Gandhipuram in Coimbatore saw battle between protesters and the police who fired teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse large crowds. Cases for stone-throwing and burning of vehicles and sundry items have been recorded in several places.
MTC buses were attacked, with several bus passengers suffering injuries when protesters threw stones at the buses. Traffic was severely affected on East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram as thousands of agitators sat on the OMR. Another thousand held protests near Taramani. Law student Hariharan said, "We would have called off the protest peacefully, but force is the only language people in power seem to understand. We come in peace. We don't trust our leaders who have been trying to gain momentum from our protest."
Traffic police said they were yet to begin clearing up. MRTS train services were suspended, and schools were closed early. Situation is severe in Alanganallur and Tamakkum Ground in Madurai and in Coimbatore.
Officials believe some of the demonstrators belonged to the ultra-left organisations like CPI-ML and the Revolutionary Youth Front of India. Former Madras High Court judge Justice Hari Paranthaman tried to calm the agitators by explaining the process of lawmaking through ordinance and said the bill, for the moment, was a "permanent solution" that is a victory for the agitators. Tamil celebrities like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan expressed their concern over the violence and called for restraint.
