Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 18, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version
Google



Tamil Nadu
Nxg

News: ePaper | Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts:
Retail Plus | Classifieds | Jobs | Obituary |



Tamil Nadu Printer Friendly Page   Send this Article to a Friend

DMK to observe day-long fast tomorrow

Special Correspondent

To protest against killing of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, urge Centre to take urgent steps

— Photo: K. Pichumani

focus on fishermen: Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi chairing the party’s high-level committee meeting at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai on Thursday.

CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will observe a day-long fast on Saturday to protest against the killing of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and to urge the Centre to take urgent steps in the issue.

This was among the decisions taken at the 20-member High Level Policy Implementation Committee of the party, which met at the party headquarters here on Thursday.

DMK deputy general secretary M.K. Stalin will lead the fast in Rameswaram, treasurer Arcot N. Veeraswami in Chennai, principal secretary Durai Murugan in Kanyakumari and MP Kanimozhi in Nagapattinam. Other Ministers and party seniors will lead the fast in other coastal districts.

In a resolution adopted at the meeting, the party wanted the Centre to summon the Sri Lankan High Commissioner and express its displeasure “in strong and unequivocal terms condemning the killings of innocent Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and convey the message that the Sri Lankan government should take effective steps to prevent such incidents in future.”

The DMK urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convey the “concern and displeasure of the Indian government to the President of Sri Lanka in the SAARC summit and exhort him to ensure that such incidents do not occur in future.”

Another resolution wanted intensified patrolling by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard so that “incursions by the Sri Lankan Navy are prevented.”

It wanted “specific and precise safeguards” to be devised so that “life and property of Tamil Nadu fishermen are protected from the onslaught of the Sri Lankan Navy.”

It was to bring the situation to the “urgent notice” of the Centre and to “impress upon them the importance of the resolutions” the one-day fast was being organised in all coastal towns, villages and district headquarters from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Later answering questions from presspersons, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said the question of getting back Kachatheevu involved many legal complications. “I cannot, on my own, announce a decision on this,” the Chief Minister said and recalled the resistance that the DMK government had put up when the island was given to Sri Lanka.

On the charge that Indian fishermen were carrying out their operations close to the Sri Lankan coastline, Mr. Karunanidhi said merely because the fishermen crossed over, they should not be shot. “They can be cautioned and sent back or they can be arrested and repatriated. We cannot accept the killings.”

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail



Tamil Nadu

News: ePaper | Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts:
Retail Plus | Classifieds | Jobs | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |




News Update



The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription
Group Sites: The Hindu | The Hindu ePaper | Business Line | Business Line ePaper | Sportstar | Frontline | Publications | eBooks | Images | Home |

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu