Pledging support to the fishermen protest against the gunning down of fisherman K Britjo (21), allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy, DMK working president M K Stalin hit out at the Centre for being ‘indifferent’ to the fishermen issue.
Addressing the protesting fishermen after offering condolences to the family members of the deceased fisherman at the protest venue at Thangachimadam near here on Saturday, he said that even six days after the gunning down of the fisherman, the Modi government at the Centre remained silent.
He said members of the fishing community were staging the protest against the firing incident since Tuesday but the Centre had not come forward to condemn the incident or register its protest with the Lankan government. The State government also failed to pressurise the Centre, he charged.
Referring to a demand that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj visit them at the protest venue and give an assurance to find a lasting solution for peaceful fishing in the Palk Bay, he said if Ms Swaraj could not make it, the Centre could have deputed one of her colleagues or an official from the External affairs ministry, but instead it continued to maintain a stoic silence.
He said when two Kerala fishermen were shot dead by Italian marines in 2012, the Centre swung into action, detaining the Marines and the Italian ship. The Kerala government too acted fast, announcing Rs One crore, each to the families of the two fishermen and initiated legal action.
But in this case, the Centre had remained indifferent, Mr Stalin charged. “It is a matter of concern that the Centre had turned a deaf ear to the just pleas of the fishers and the State government too has not exerted any pressure,” he said.
He said soon after the incident, DMK Rajya Sabha member Tiruchi Siva, on behalf of the party, took up the issue with External affairs ministry and party MP Kanimozhi had raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha calling for a for separate debate, Mr Stalin said.
“The DMK will support the protest till the just demands of the fisher folk were conceded,” he said. On the demand for retrieving Katchatheevu islet, the DMK leader said a lasting solution to the vexatious issue could be found only if the islet was retrieved. Later, Mr Stalin paid his homage by placing wreath on the body of Britjo, being kept at the government hospital mortuary here.
