Jallikattu - the aftermath

The masses were whipped up to a frenzy by political parties that were pro-jallikattu, by social media (facebook, whatsapp), and misguided youth. To be honest, the youth masses are not the epitome of rational thought or behaviour. They cheer and jeer whatever the hot topic of the day is. The protests abroad were conducted by people who were far away from their birth places, and longed for something that they didn't even know existed when they were in India. Any opposing voices were drowned out. Add to this conspiracy theories around coca-cola being full of pesticides, PETA planning to destroy native cattle so that "Jersey cows which give only A1 milk" (never mind that Jersey & Guernsey cows are A2-type) and it is Holstein cows that were being imported. Peta protests and spreads misinformation about the coca cola milk farm in the US and it has come back to bite their own ass by PETA being linked with Coca Cola, oh the irony.

Once political parties and separatist parties got involved, it was downhill. Compared to police actions against previous protests, this was mostly restrained. This is not discounting all those videos that show police indulging in arson and attacking bystanders. The situation has gone worse due to these opportunists that are again whipping up frenzy against the Indian Union.

It is sad to see even well-educated people subscribing to every fake research out there and throwing out their thinking caps forever. The second half of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 has seen irrational emotionally charged kneejerk reaction gaining an upperhand over rational levelheaded thinking.

Jallikattu protests - My personal conspiracy theory - a sequence of events

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 21^st 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.

23^rd night – Police move around the city, probably targeting the areas where the new protestors who joined on 21^st lived. Videos of police causing damage to parked vehicles seen.

24^th – Police target the fishing hamlets.

25^th – 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?