The 2017 pro-jallikattu protests, also known as the pro-jallikattu movement, were leaderless apolitical youth protests which took place in January 2017 in large groups in several locations across the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Some sporadic smaller protests also took place across India as well as overseas. The chief motivation of the protest was against the Supreme Court's order to ban jallikattu (occasionally also known as sallikattu, eru taluval and manju virattu), a traditional Tamil bull taming sport, which is held during Pongal, a harvest festival in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sport is conducted annually on the second day of the Tamil month Thai. The sport was banned by the Supreme Court in a decision citing cruelty to animals based on a lawsuit filed by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which asserted that it violates the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA).
The first large protests occurred on 8 January 2017, when several groups, organised largely via social media, conducted a protest at the Marina beach in Chennai to revoke the ban on jallikattu which was imposed in 2014. These groups also demanded that PETA be banned from India. The protests soon gained momentum and spread all over Tamil Nadu. After several days of protests, jallikattu was finally legalised locally on 23 January when the Government of Tamil Nadu passed a bill to amend the PCA Act. As the legalisation is not Indian federal law, but rather state law, there is concern from Indian legal experts that jallikattu could be banned once again by the Supreme Court.
The largely peaceful nature of the protests received praise from all over the country and inspired the legalisation movements of several other Indian states' traditional outlawed celebrations. Despite violence on 23 January, this perception continued after the Tamil Nadu Police reported that the violence was caused by "anti-social elements" co-opting the protest, and not the student protesters themselves. The movement has been described as a symbol for Tamil pride and has largely been compared to the anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu and dubbed by many as 'Thai Puratchi'.
Timeline
Sporadic demonstrations began on 4 January, but mass protests did not begin until two weeks later.
On 16 January 2017, villagers of Alanganallur protested at Alanganallur 'Vaadi vaasal' – The Arena, the place known for the jallikattu sport – on that date, the sport was also practiced in defiance of the ban. After a day long protest, police arrested the protesters numbering around 200 in Madurai. On 17 January 2017, In support of the arrested, Students gathered in Marina Beach. This day incidentally coincided with the birth centenary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.G.Ramachadran. The crowds started swelling for the night and few hundred spent their night in beach and the crowds continued to gather strength throughout the next day. The protest erupted around the state including Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Nagercoil, Thiruchrapalli, Pudhuchery. On 19 January, many volunteer groups and individuals once again gathered at the Marina beach for overnight protests. deputy Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O.Paneerselvam met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pushed for an ordinance. With no sign of protests relenting the centre suggested ordinance by Tamil Nadu Government. On 20 January, The draft ordinance was approved by Home, Environmental and Cultural Ministry.
On 20 January, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu announced that a law has been drafted and sent to the Central Government, stating, "There are full chances that jallikattu will be organised within 1–2 days." The Hindustan Times reported that the Centre approved the bill without recommending any changes, and that all that remains now is for it to be signed by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. On this day the Marina beach Witnessed around 20 lakh protesters on peaceful Occupy Marina protest alone with lacs thronging various cities of state.. The day witnessed a virtual shutdown in the state as most organization downed their shutters expressing solidarity for the cause. The Opposition party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) staged Rail Roko in district headquarters of the state.
On 21 January, the protests still continue demanding a permanent solution. Some politicians of the opposition parties started fasting as a sign of protest. The State Government promulgated the ordinance and announced that it would conduct the event the next day. However the protesters refused to budge, as they believe the ordinance has very weak legal grounds and could be overturned in much the same way as the Supreme Court overturned the 2009 ordinance.