The Congress will form a national-level union of fishermen, All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice president Rahul Gandhi has said.
Addressing a fish workers’ protest meet on the Chavakkad beach on Wednesday, Mr. Gandhi said the Congress would fight for the rights of the marginalised, including fishermen, farmers, and tribal people, who were suffering on account of the “anti-people” policies of the Narendra Modi government.
Mr. Gandhi said he would discuss with the Congress president the setting up of the fishermen’s national union.
Criticising the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government for its decision to extend the ban on trawling, Mr. Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared a war on common people in the country.
“Mr. Modi thinks that fishermen, farmers, and tribal people are weak and they can be pushed aside. He should be careful about the strength of the common man. As land is mother for farmers, sea is mother for fishermen. It cannot be snatched from them.”
Mr. Gandhi said the NDA government was not picking up a fight with fishermen, tribal people or farmers. “They are picking up a fight with the soul of the country. Nobody ever has won a war against the soul of the country.”
‘Majority weakened’
“The Congress thinks that the best way to take the country forward is by empowering the common man. But the NDA has a completely different viewpoint. They think the country can progress by weakening the vast majority of the common people.”
Thieves generally came and stole things during nights. But thieves could also come in bright daylight wearing suits, he said.
“The NDA government was celebrating its anniversary. People wearing suits and coats were celebrating. But here a poor fisherman handed over a piece of paper to me saying he has only one option before him — that is suicide.”
Mr. Gandhi said the Congress was committed to fighting for the rights of the common man. “We are not afraid of Mr. Modi or four or five of his friends in suits,” he said. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeran presided over the function. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala participated.
