The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Jayalalithaa’s decision to hold a demonstration in New Delhi next week on the issue of the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill is to garner votes in the Tiruchendur by-election, Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi said on Saturday.
Reacting to Ms. Jayalalithaa’s announcement of the agitation, Mr. Karunanidhi, in a statement, said that when he came to know the Bill was likely to be tabled in Parliament in November, he wrote a letter to the Union Minister of Agriculture Sharad Pawar on November 19. Subsequently, on his advice, Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran called on Mr. Pawar on December 10 and explained to him the concerns of fishermen over the proposed legislation. Mr. Pawar had assured Mr. Maran that the views of all Chief Ministers and fishermen would be heard and the Bill would not be introduced now in response to Mr. Karunanidhi’s appeal.