All events in January 2017.
before 15th - people like Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, Hip Hop
Adhi, Rajasekar, RJ Balaji (the quads) voice their support for Jallikattu
15th Maatu pongal - a few people decide to protest in Marina
Beach shouting slogans for lifting the ban on jallikattu. My theory is the core
members who planned this are either a certain caste or simply supporters who
never thought it would blow up to be this big. Police don't do anything to
avoid marring pongal celebrations. crowd swells with youth/ male students.
16th Kaanum pongal - young women and families see the
protest and go along with the crowd. So far, the police has not taken any
action, maybe thinking the crowd will thin once schools/colleges/work starts.
Lawrence steps in with his support.
17th-20th - crowd increases. Tamil associations world over
want to join in the "in thing" and organize quick get-togethers and
photo-ops. This is shared widely on facebook and whatsapp. People see the
support and are proud of what's going on. My theory here is, atleast some of these were organized by Sri Lankan Tamils in places like Canada, UK, or Australia, and by IT workers in USA who felt left out by happenings in India and want to show their support.
21st - first weekend. IT workers on their weekend join.
Police can't touch the crowd due to the backlash they will face from the world
over; families are involved after all. The Chief Minister meets the Prime
Minister and gets an urgent approval. Ordinance was vocally supported by
retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Mr. Markandey Katju. Taking advantage of
laid back police approach, people like Seeman, Amir, Gowthaman, TMMK, May 17 or
whatever organizations, and other parties like DMK step in to fish for their
benefits. Police and maybe central Intelligence take note. Indian government
won’t worry about what people in each states do until they get even a whiff of
separatist speech.
22nd - President's approval given. All that is left is the
ordinance to be passed the first working day after this. The quads were
probably adviced about the potential infiltration and step out asking
protestors to go home. Skeptical protestors are provided confusing information,
preventing some from leaving with the fear that if they leave their protests
would’ve been in vain. The quads are denounced while some try to still support
them.
23rd morning - IT workers are gone, most families are gone,
kids have to go to school after all. Lawrence tries to go back to the crowd and
is turned away by police, maybe after advicing him too. He tells protestors to
go away. He is also denounced. Police step in telling people to disperse. Some
leave, some dig in their heels. The same time the State Assembly session
starts, with table thumps by the MLAs to the governor’s speech. The crowd is
charged by police at almost the same time. Police is given a free reign. They
first carry off each protestor one by one, and the remaining, who I suspect
belong to the separatist organizations, visibly hold back a few and some jump
into the sea. Police “do the needful” at this point. Police also create ‘false-flag
attacks’ to justify taking the action to nearby places which (I suspect) is probably
where the protestors who joined on 21st live. Fishermen from nearby
hamlets step in to support, providing supplies by boat.
Media is not allowed in the vicinity, but the availability
of facebook, whatsapp, and smartphones with internet disseminate the attacks on
who look like (and very well could be) innocent bystanders and disseminate it
to the outside world.
23rd night – Police move around the city,
probably targeting the areas where the new protestors who joined on 21st
lived. Videos of police causing damage to parked vehicles seen.
24th – Police target the fishing hamlets.
25th – today. People are shocked and feel unsafe. Trust
in police has been shattered. People don’t know whom to blame – the chief
minister for being insulted? The leader of the ruling party? The prime
minister? The city police commissioner who ordered police to move in?
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