Chennai Corner

Captain gets pragmatic? 

Last Sunday at Salem, Vijaykanth, chief of the Desiya Murpoku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), left many of his cadre disappointed after hyping up the event as the venue for a huge announcement about his party going in for an alliance. After going it alone since his party was formed in 2005, Vijaykanth was riding high in 2006 when it got 8.33 per cent of the vote share after contesting in 232 seats and winning one. But after the 2009 Lok Sabha elections when all the DMDK candidates in 40 constituencies (including one in Pondicherry) lost, he has become pragmatic. The 10.08 per cent votes that his party candidates got can only be turned into seats if instead of being a spoiler for the AIADMK, he teams up with amma and manoeuvres himself back in the game.

DMDK’s adviser Panruti Ramachandran spells it out, “We hope to get at least 14 per cent of the votes (in the forthcoming assembly elections) and this will help whichever front we decide to align with in the assembly polls.”

One thing was clear at the DMDK’s state conference called Makkal Urumai Meetppu Mahanadu (A conference to restore people’s rights) last Sunday: There is no way Vijaykanth will go with the DMK which his party’s adviser Panruti Ramachandran calls an octopus (not to be confused with the late lamented Paul, the octopus, who became a “celeb” at the soccer World Cup with his accurate predictions). Vijaykanth said a “Dharma Yudh” would ensue which he would “lead from the front” to dislodge the DMK octopus whose tentacles have reached far and wide leading to “family misrule”. But unlike his stand earlier when he said “God and the people” were his only allies, he has now assured his cadre that he “ will forge an alliance very soon keeping in mind the self respect and future growth of the party.”

But will this early bird catch any worms?

Vijaykanth must be kicking himself for prematurely revealing his cards. Although he has not said so in as many words, it is clear he is looking for an alliance with Jayalalitha’s AIADMK. The fact that Jaya TV blacked out his rally is a measure of just how hard she is playing to get. The fact that she has not responded at all since Sunday when he all but said he was looking to team up with the AIADMK is another indication that should the alliance come about, she is going to drive a hard bargain for the 234 assembly seats that the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has. Other alliance partners like the MDMK, CPI and CPIM already know that although she has begun initial talks with those parties – she met CPM apparatchik Prakash Karat when he was here last week and also CPI’s A B Bardhan – ultimately it is she who gets to decide how to apportion the seats.

But Jayalalitha’s advantage comes from the fact that Vijaykanth’s party cadres were fed up of being also-rans and compelled their “Captain” to dictate a policy change. Even as Vijaykanth took Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi to task, his cadre kept responding by waving the two leaves symbol of the AIADMK. Of course there is a chance Vijaykanth will align with the Congress, but the Grand Old Party apparently is so far sticking to the DMK despite the Telecom scam. If one reads between the lines, it is clear he is trying to cosy up to the AIADMK because Vijaykanth reserved vituperation for the DMK (“Karunanidhi is the main enemy), took some sly, indirect potshots at the Congress but said not a word about the AIADMK.

Mischievous advertisement

In fact, the day before the conference, Vijaykanth strained every sinew to apologise for an advertisement carried by an eveninger, attributed to his party, saying, “We will drive away to Kodanad the selfish group which is trying to capture power for a friend’s sake.” (the reference, of course, is to Sasikala Natarajan, a constant companion of Jayalalitha).

Viajakanth smelled a rat saying the advertisement was the handiwork of the ruling party “which was playing mischief and trying to mislead the public by releasing such an advertisement.” He has threatened a defamation suit against the paper. But DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said his party would never stoop to such levels.

Raging Bulls

In this state, Pongal festival, which falls this Saturday, is synonymous with Jallikattu (taming of the bull). You cannot have one without the other. Yet, this 400-year-old traditional sport has been hurtling downhill in recent years as animal activists trying to protect the bulls have clashed in the courts with villagers out to show their macho skills because they see it as a vignette of their Tamil culture that should be allowed to flourish..

The problem is that there has been collateral damage during the taming of the bulls (kicking off at Pongal and going onto June in some cases) because crude methods are employed to get a bull raging (including rubbing chilly powder in its eyes) and that causes stampedes, injuries even fatalities. Last year, 49 jallikkattu events were reported to the Animal Welfare Board of India, in which 12 people were killed and 1,614 were injured. “Apart from injuries to spectators, the animals are tortured by rubbing chilly into their eyes to make them more ferocious,” says RM Kharb, chairman of the board.

In January 2009, the Supreme Court had intervened and banned the sport saying the guidelines to prevent cruelty against animals (under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act 1960) had been violated. The court directed collectors not to give permissions to conduct the sport. However, it was allowed on a case by case basis when there was supporting proof that guidelines were followed and bulls and people were not harmed.

The guidelines include obtaining permission at least three days before the event, twin barricades separating visitors from participants, and a stability certificate (because the temporary structure erected for the event have been known to collapse) from the Public Works Department for the barricades and visitors’ galleries. In addition, ambulances and medical teams should be parked at the venue. Bull tamers should be between 18 and 40, bull owners should produce their animals for a medical check-up at the venue (which should be videographed) so that performance-enhancing drugs given to animals can be detected. 

Despite all these dos and don'ts, there are accidents. For instance, the then Thanjavur collector M S Shanmugham claimed that despite following the guidelines, an accident happened at Mathakottai village last year because of overcrowding. Five persons were killed in two days at the event. “Some onlookers jumped over the barricades and were attacked by the bulls,” he said.

All that bull

But Jallikattu enthusiasts are a disappointed lot this year and are in fact victims of India’s famed bureaucracy where application forms have to be filled out in triplicate. In this case, it is worse because they have been given seven-page application forms in English when they can't even write or read Tamil. And, the form, in addition to asking questions about the guidelines, also asks for other details such as fax number and email address of the animal owner, his address, four sets of colour photographs of its front, rear and side views, distinguishing marks of the bull among others. Four weeks time for processing the application is what the board wants. “A majority of the bull owners are illiterate and have no idea of what they have been asked in the form. The Board’s interpretation of the guidelines has almost killed the traditional Tamil sport,” says P. Rajasekaran, president of Jallikattu Peravai, Tamil Nadu. According to him, the board has been rejecting applications. “While 650 bulls participated last year, only 180 have been registered this year,” says Palamedu panchayat chairman Prema’s husband V.Mahendran. The late receipt of forms is one reason many have not been able to apply. The other reason, says Rajasekharan, is the cost involved because owners have to pay Rs 2000 while applying in addition to enclosing Rs 500 as a demand draft. In addition organizers of the event who had to pay Rs two lakh as a deposit now have to pay Rs five lakh. “Because it is almost impossible for villages to cough up such a huge deposit, Jallikattu events will be held only in 20 villages (as opposed to 750 villages before the whole controversy) across the state,” says T Ondiraj, state secretary of the Tamilaga Veera Vilayattu Pathukappu Peeravai (The Forum for the Protection of Traditional Sports). Ondiraj has approached the Supreme Court for scrapping the deposit, suggesting that participants should instead be covered by group insurance.

Bull in the Assembly

Jallikattu found a mention in the TN Legislative Assembly this week when Vellore Congress MLA C Gnanasekaran sought permission for organizing the event in his constituency. A government circular says the traditional sport can be held only in 12 districts. Jalllikatu buffs in Vellore have threatened to surrender their ration cards and even boycott the forthcoming election apart from going on a hunger fast if the government does not intervene on their behalf. Vellore district has 700 owners rearing nearly 2,500 bulls. “Jallikattu is an integral part of Pongal festival. It has always been organised in more than 300 villages. If the government is hamstrung in organising Jallikattu, then there is no festival for us,” said a member of the Tamilnadu Eruthu Vedum Veera Vilayattu Paathukappu Sangam Matrum Rasigarkal Sangam. The use of the word “veera” connotes that people equate the sport with showing off their bravery skills.

And in an election year, there's an ultimatum no political party can countenance. But since the Apex Court is involved, mum is the word for all of them. Although, the animal husbandry minister Pongalur N Palaniswamy assured the assembly that the state government would take steps to hold Jallikatu in all districts. But again, in an election year, politicians make many promises….Oh, for those days when Jallikatu meant a bloodsport that was not refereed!