To an award show that's famous for honouring artists belatedly, we have sent as our official entry one of our major film-makers's weakest work yet, feels Sreehari Nair.
A Ganesh Nadar watches the fourth day of protests dawn on Chennai's Marina beach.
The jallikattu issue has revived pan-Tamil political sentiments especially among youths, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
About 40 bull tamers were injured, they said.
At least 129 people were injured in the two events held on Wednesday in Palamedu in Madurai District and Periyasuriyur near Tiruchirappalli.
The die-hard supporters of the sport along with major political parties in the state have been demanding an ordinance for conducting Jallikattu.
The Oscars is prestigious and all artists covet it but ultimately, the business of winning is ruthless and political. And India has seldom risen to the challenge, argues Sukanya Verma.
The review petition filed by Tamil Nadu government is still pending in the court.
DMK working president and Opposition Leader MK Stalin, who pressed the Centre to immediately promulgate an ordinance to hold the sport and that AIADMK should also press Centre for it, said that "Tamils will not forgive" the two if such an urgent step was not taken.
Massive protest continued for the fourth day on Friday at Chennai's Marina Beach with schools across Tamil Nadu remained closed in support of bull-taming sport Jallikattu.
Slamming the Centre's decision to allow the bull taming sport Jallikattu, PETA India said that lifting protection against cruelty is a "black mark" on the nation.
Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam announced on Friday morning that the state government will amend a central act on Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to allow the conduct of Jallikattu in the state with the Centre's backing, and urged protestors across the state to withdraw their agitation following the likelihood of the bull-taming sport to be held in a "day or two."
Jallikattu is organised as a part of the harvest festival of Pongal, which will be celebrated on Monday.
The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down a plea seeking its intervention to pass judgment on Jallikattu before Saturday. The top court said it was "unfair to ask the bench to pass order" on the matter.
'Politically, Tamil Nadu has faced several setbacks in the past -- the water sharing issue with Karnataka, on Katchatheevu, on the Tamil fishermen issue...' 'In all these issues, the central and state governments acted in an inefficient and incompetent manner.' 'That must have stayed in the minds of the people.'
Protests demanding Jallikattu swelled on the streets of Tamil Nadu after agitators rejected statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and the state braced for a shutdown on Friday.
The Supreme Court on Friday put the brakes on the 400-year-old traditional bull-taming sport of Jallikattu, organised in Tamil Nadu as part of Pongal celebrations, saying guidelines to prevent cruelty against animals have been violated. A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said and directed the district collectors in the state not to give any more permission for holding Jallikattu.
Decks were cleared on Friday night for an ordinance on Jallikattu after Tamil Nadu and the Centre worked feverishly even as the state stood on the edge and protesters on Marina beach and elsewhere refused to relent until the sport is held.
Tamil Nadu government's standing counsel Yogesh Kanna confirmed the development and said the state has urged the apex court that it should be heard if anyone challenges the newly promulgated ordinance.
The CM thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support to Jallikattu, an emotive issue which triggered mass protests across the state.
As the feisty bulls, one after the other started racing towards the lengthy sporting arena from the entrance, known as 'vadivasal,' young men waiting with bated breath strained every nerve to latch on to the hump of the animals.
Expanding the ambit of rights of animals, the Supreme Court today banned using bulls for Jallikattu events or bullock-cart races across the country and hoped parliament would elevate the rights of animals to that of constitutional rights.
The state government held talks with the protesting youth to sort out the matter.
With the Supreme Court refusing to vacate its order on lifting of a ban on the sport by the Centre.
The apex court has also issued notice to Centre, Tamil Nadu and other states where 'Jallikattu' is played.
Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images captures glimpses from Jallikattu this year
PETA said that the court had also ruled that cruelty is inherent in these events, as bulls are not anatomically suited for such activities and making them participate is subjecting them to unnecessary pain and suffering, so such events were outlawed.
Making the announcement, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan tweeted: 'The Union government has made arrangements to allow Jallikattu in TN.'
As protests demanding Jallikattu swelled on the streets of Tamil Nadu, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on Thursday said the state government has the power to enact a law to treat Jallikattu as a traditional sport, but cautioned that the animals should not be harmed or cruelly treated during such events.
'While appreciating the cultural significance of Jallikattu, the PM observed that the matter is presently sub judice,' the PMO tweeted.
How wonderful it would be for all of us to watch the Oscar ceremony on March 2, 2025 and watch AWIAL win an Oscar, notes Aseem Chhabra.
The final day of Jallikattu lived up to all the hype surrounding the tremendously popular sport. A Ganesh Nadar shares his ringside view with us
The last decision by Jairam Ramesh as environment minister was to ban the use of bulls as performing animals. This means that bulls can no longer be used in jallikattu, a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu during Pongal celebrations.
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar defended the Centre's move to allow controversial bull taming sport Jallikattu despite opposition from animal rights bodies.
Protesters demanded a permanent solution for holding the sport and raised slogans that an ordinance was only a temporary measure.
Questioning the Centre for its notification allowing use of bulls in events like Jallikattu, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said India cannot "import Roman gladiator type sport".
The Centre's notification lifting ban on bull taming sport Jallikattu during the festival of Pongal in Tamil Nadu was on Monday challenged in the Supreme Court.
The pleas were mentioned for urgent listing before the bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra.
It's election season in Tamil Nadu and all political parties are tying themselves in knots over the banned jallikattu but none more than the BJP, says R Ramasubramanian.
Supporters of the bull taming sport Jalikattu on Tuesday staged protests in Tamil Nadu after SC stayed the Centre's notification lifting the ban on it.