Chembur residents take to streets to protest against Supreme Court's ban on Jallikattu

Chembur residents take to streets to protest against Supreme Court's ban on Jallikattu

Armed with slogans and posters protestors expressed their displeasure with the ban

With the widespread discontent against the ban imposed on the bull-taming sport - Jallikattu gaining momentum, Tamil residents of Chembur on Friday took to the streets to join the rising chorus of protests.

More than 150 locals, including children, most of them from the Shell Colony in Chembur, gathered on the main road on the eastern side of the Tilak Nagar station at around 11.30 am, and formed a human chain to express their discontent with the Supreme Court-imposed ban on the sport.

Armed with slogans and posters reading ‘Jallikattu is the pride of our nation' and ‘Ban PETA,' they expressed their displeasure towards the 2014 verdict that was given on a petition by activists. The protest went on for nearly three hours before coming to a halt.

"This [ban] is against our culture, not the sport," said SA Anthony, a protester who hails from Chennai, adding, "We want to convey that the bull is like our family member; we nurture them throughout the year, feed them and take care of them. We even let our kids play with them during this duration."

P Suresh (49), who runs a vegetable business in Chembur, said: "The sport has been a part of our culture for thousands of years, and now it is banned. We are trying to get the government's attention to lift the ban, as there is no need to implement a ban on somebody's culture. However, we do not know if we will succeed."