Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said various “anti-social elements” and organisations had “infiltrated” the week-long pro-jallikattu protest at Marina here with the intention of “diverting” it. He promised that the “evil forces” behind the violence on Monday would be identified and brought to book.
Panneerselvam said following the police announcement early on January 23, asking the protesters to leave the Marina beach, about 10,000 of them had dispersed while about 2,000 stayed back.
“Anti-social elements and miscreants had infiltrated jallikattu protests with the intention of diverting them. The anti-national and anti-social elements did not want jallikattu protests to end,” Panneerselvam said.
The Chief Minister said the “evil forces” behind the violence during the jallikattu protests will be identified and action will be taken against them.
Following the police announcement early on January 23, asking the protesters to leave the beach, about 10,000 of them dispersed and about 2,000 stayed back.
“Various organisations and anti-social elements infiltrated the pro-jallikattu protests [on the Marina] with the intention of diverting it,” he said.
Making a detailed statement in the Assembly after Opposition Leader MK Stalin sought his explanation over the police lathicharge on protesters here on Monday, Mr. Panneerselvam said the police had received information that some of the protesters wanted to prolong the stir till Republic Day.
Those belonging to such organisations “wanted to show black flags and create problems” on January 26.
“Some even raised separate Tamil Nadu demands and there is photographic proof of some holding pictures of Osama bin Laden with ‘Boycott Republic Day’ slogans,” he said.
“A detailed probe will be conducted into the matter and action will be taken against police personnel if found guilty,” Panneerselvam said.
The police on January 23 invaded the sprawling beach and forcibly began removing the thousands of young men and women who had assembled in support of the demand that the Supreme Court revoke its order banning Jallikattu — the traditional bull-taming sport in Tamil Nadu.A video thgat went viral on Monday showed women and men in police uniform setting fire to vehicles and huts and damaging two-wheelers here, sending shockwave across the state. The police said the video was a fake.
This triggered large-scale violence in parts of Chennai, leaving many people injured and many properties damaged.
