Even though voices from Kollywood have lent their support for jallikattu protests for several days now, the entry of Nadigar Sangam has not been welcomed.
While actors like Aari, GV Prakash, Raghava Lawrence, music director Yuvan Shankar Raja, singer Bhavatharani, directors Gauthaman, Seeman, Lakshmi Ramakrishnan and others expressed their support by joining the protestors, the Nadigar Sangam has announced that all the actors will go on a one-day fast on January 20th to express their solidarity.
Ponvannan, the Vice President of the Nadigar Sangam, convened a press meet on Wednesday to disclose that the stars will go on a one-day fast on January 20th at the Nadigar Sangam grounds in T Nagar.
Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay and other leading actors are expected to participate in this fast, it is said.
The prime reason is perhaps because Vishal, the Secretary of Nadigar Sangam, has been associated with PETA, one the organisations behind the ban.
An old video of Vishal's in which he says he doesn't want to speak about jallikattu since the Supreme Court has banned it, was doing the rounds on social media. Vishal received a lot of abuse because of it as did other celebrities who have been associated with the animal rights organisation. Subsequently, Vishal deactivated his Twitter account.
However, on Wednesday, the actor issued a press statement clarifying his stance on jallikattu and calling the video "misleading". Stating that this was propaganda by "online miscreants", Vishal expressed his love for the traditional sport:
"My association with animal welfare goes long way but the reason I support ‘Jallikattu’ is something more personal. I have spent most of my film career shooting in Madurai. The people of Madurai have always taken good care of me and made me feel at home and this was the main reason I preferred more of Madurai based subjects in my movies. During such visits I myself have seen the way the ‘Bulls’ being taken care with lot of love and affection. Though I was born and brought up in Chennai, I felt more affiliated to Madurai in movies, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart."
Vishal has also written to the PM, asking for an emergency ordinance. But, his efforts don't seem to have cut ice with the protesters.
#SayNoToNadigarSangam has been trending on Twitter on Thursday. Tweets like, "It's enough if you act on screen, there's no need to come here" express the popular sentiment.
#SayNoToNadigarSangam. Don't divert it's full of youth power not actor or actress power TN need justuce #JallikattuSlogans #Banpetaindia
— s.sibi (@Sibi29S) January 19, 2017
#SayNoToNadigarSangam we r in right direction.we need ur support but undstd the consequences (all media cover ur protection) pls support std
— Balachandran (@aktbala) January 19, 2017
#SayNoToNadigarSangam protest as a tamilan, not as a actor.. what were yu doing till date.. dnt try to get the attention of media's...
— Dhilip Deerkay (@_Dhilip_) January 19, 2017
#SaveOurCultureJALLIKATTU #SayNoToNadigarSangam #போராட்டத்தைதிருடாதே https://t.co/zxLcWGmLTy
— Jayshri (@Agizo_Jay) January 19, 2017
Tomo Media's Focus Will Be Only On #NadigarSangam Protest ! #SayNoToNadigarSangam#AmendPCA#DissolveAWBI pic.twitter.com/p7Zw4kaN9p
— S T R A N G 3 R ☯ (@HungryHeartt49) January 19, 2017
Though Vishal and other actors have been crediting the students and youth who have turned up for the protests without any political instigation, the supporters of jallikattu are anxious that their movement should not be hijacked.