Slamming Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for his recent comments on the fishermen issue, the Congress on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cancel his scheduled visit to Sri Lanka on March 13.
In a statement, TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan said Mr. Wickremesinghe’s remarks that there was nothing wrong in acting against Tamil Nadu fishermen who violate the maritime border was condemnable.
Already, Sri Lanka had not bothered to implement the 13{+t}{+h}amendment to its Constitution facilitated through an accord with India. The country was also not willing to draw a fresh agreement to protect the livelihood of fishermen on both sides. In fact, action in the form of shooting and arrest against Indian fishermen has continued unabated, he said.
In such a situation, he said there was a necessity to reconsider the Katchatheevu agreement that was put in place during former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s regime to safeguard the rights of fishermen.
“After the audacious statements of Mr. Wickremesinghe, it is clear that there is no chance of a permanent solution to the Tamil question in Sri Lanka. After this, what are they going to talk and decide? Cancelling the trip alone will be the right reply to Sri Lanka,” he said.
