By IANS
Chennai : Security arrangements across Tamil Nadu have been stepped in view of the three-day Pongal festival and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state capital Monday.
Police sources said nearly 15,000 security personnel have been put on duty in the city in view of the discontent among the people over the Supreme Court order banning the traditional bull fighting – jallikattu – during the festive season.
The police are the alert also due to the impending visit of Modi to the city to meet AIADMK leader J. Jayalalitha and to take part in the 37th anniversary function of the Tughlak magazine.
The police Sunday arrested 200 people protesting the Gujarat chief minister’s visit.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government went on to file a review petition on the apex court order, banning bull fighting. Hundreds of people in Allanganallur, Palamedu and several other villages near Madurai went on hunger strike for the second consecutive day to protest the court’s orders. Shops and business establishments remained closed across Madurai district.
The PMK and the VCK (Dalit Panthers Party), allies of the ruling DMK, have asked the government to issue an ordinance to facilitate the conduct of traditional bullfights during the harvest festival.
MDMK leader Vaiko also sought an ordinance to allow the bullfights. “The bulls are in no way attacked by weapons and casualty of participants and injuries to the bulls are common things in a sport of bravery like this,” he said.
VCK chief T. Thirumavalavan, in a statement here, said jallikattu was a “sport of valour that defined culture in rural Tamil Nadu”. He threatened that his party would organise a jallikattu.
Extra security personnel have been deployed in the 11 southern districts of the state where black flags fluttered from housetops and placards against the ban were shown.
Saturday, Pudur village in Sivaganga district defied the court order and organised a jallikattu.
On Friday, Soorakudi village had similarly defied the ban and organised the traditional sport. The police have taken a dozen people into custody in the two villages.