The grama sabha meeting held on March 22 in connection with the conduct of jallikattu at Alagumalai was cancelled. An argument broke out between the two parties at a grama sabha meeting held at Velayudhampalayam village on Saturday, leading to a scuffle between the two parties as the police tried to disperse.
Tirupur: An argument broke out at a special grama sabha meeting held at Alagumalai near Palladam over the conduct of jallikattu.
Following the cancellation of the grama sabha meeting held on March 22 at Alagumalai panchayat near Palladam in Tirupur district, a special grama sabha meeting was held at Velayuthampalayam village on Saturday under the chairmanship of panchayat president Thuyamani and block development officer.
More than 500 villagers from Semalai Goundampalayam, Subbiyagoundampalayam, Alagumalai, Velayuthampalayam, Kovilpalayam, Chettipalayam and Ganapathipalayam villages of Alagumalai panchayat participated in the meeting.
The meeting was called off following strong opposition to the passage of a resolution not to hold Jallikattu in Alagumalai village at the earlier grama sabha meeting.
In this situation, at the grama sabha meeting held on Saturday, it was said that the safety of women would be in question if jallikattu was held in Alagumalai village. When a group of people got into an argument saying that agricultural crops are being damaged and jallikattu should not be held in our village, the other side argued that the district administration should provide proper security to the traditional sport of Tamils and conduct Jallikattu without any law and order problem.
On October 2, 2021, a resolution was passed in the gram sabha meeting itself that jallikattu should not be held. The public gheraoed him and engaged in a heated argument.
A scuffle broke out between the two sides when the policemen on security duty tried to disperse the crowd.
The gram sabha meeting ended without any decision being reached as one side raised slogans demanding that there should be no jallikattu.
Meanwhile, when Information Minister M P Saminathan announced last week that jallikattu will be held at Alagumalai on April 24, doubts have been raised as to whether jallikattu will be held as announced.
It is to be noted that the villagers had again submitted a petition to the district collector yesterday that Jallikattu should not be held in Alagumalai village.