I have never been against or opposed to jallikattu: Trisha

Chennai, Jan 16: Leading actress Trisha, who was targeted by pro-jallikattu groups for posting comments on the bull taming sport, today said she was never against or opposed to it and that she had deactivated her Twitter account after it was hacked and a comment sent, putting her in insensitive light.

Trisha said she was deeply troubled and defamed for no fault of hers over the last week on the jallikattu issue.

"I made my stance very clear on my social networking account yesterday that I have never been against or opposed to jallikattu," she said in a statement here tonight.

"I'm a proud Tamilian by birth and I believe and respect the Tamil culture and tradition and I will never go against the sentiments of my own people who have been instrumental in my growth and stature," she said.

She said she was "deeply" hurt at the "disrespect" and abusive language aimed at her and to those who supported her by "some vested interests".

"In the midst of this, to make my stance clear, my Twitter account was hacked and a tweet (from twitter handle @trishtrashers) was sent out, putting me in very insensitive light and hurting my fellow Tamilians," she said.

"This effort by them to detach me from the Tamil audience whom I value much will not happen. I'm confident about this," she said.

Considering the gravity of the issue, she said she had deactivated her account and had taken it up with the higher authorities.

"I type this (statement) out with a lot of hurt and pain. I assure from the bottom of my heart that I am never against my own people and keep wondering why anyone would go through such an extent to defame and put me in bad light," she said.

Thanking her fellow colleagues and well wishers who had rallied to her support, including Tamil film icon Kamal Hassan, she said, "This (statement) makes my stance very clear, once and for all".

Yesterday, Kamal Haasan and actor Simbu had come out in support of Trisha, targeted by pro-Jallikattu groups for her association with animal rights group PETA, which opposes the sport.

An animal lover, she had appeared in advertisements of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, supporting adoption of homeless dogs.

Some Jallikattu supporters had on January 13 picketed the site of the shooting of Tamil film "Garjanai", starring Trisha, in Sivaganga district. She was not present there at that time.

Abusive text messages accompanied with images of Trisha wearing a PETA T-shirt have gone viral on social media.

PETA has been opposing Jallikattu and had written to the President and Prime Minister, arguing against any ordinance for holding Jallikattu in the state as demanded by the state government and others.

The group has come under severe attack from Jallikattu supporters who even demanded that PETA be banned.