By Chief Minister MK Stalin Accuses PM Modi of Dodging Tamil Nadu’s Concerns and Fisheries Minister Devanada trying to set up Sea Guard
Chief Minister MK Stalin has directly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of avoiding the questions raised by the people of Tamil Nadu regarding special schemes implemented by the Union government for the state. Stalin’s remarks came in response to Modi’s recent public appearance in Kanniyakumari, where he labeled the DMK as an enemy of Tamil Nadu.
Stalin denounced Modi’s accusations against the DMK, particularly regarding the suffering of Tamil Nadu fishermen due to past mistakes of the DMK. He highlighted the contentious issue of Katchatheevu island, which was ceded to Sri Lanka despite opposition from the DMK government at the time. Stalin questioned whether the PM genuinely believed a state government could relinquish its territory to another country, calling for explanations from the BJP regarding efforts made to reclaim Katchatheevu over the past decade.
Arresting Fisherman
The chief minister further criticized the Union government for its failure to address the continuous arrests and mistreatment of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan authorities. He accused the government of prioritizing the interests of the Adani Group over securing the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen and demanded action against Sri Lanka’s practice of imposing prison sentences on fishermen arrested for the second time, a policy instituted during the BJP regime.
Stalin emphasized that Tamil Nadu’s fishermen would expose BJP’s attempts to malign the DMK to conceal its own shortcomings in addressing their concerns.
In related news, the Fisheries Ministry has proposed the establishment of a civilian voluntary force called “Sea Guards” to monitor Indian fishermen’s illegal bottom trawling in Northern territorial waters. Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda explained that the memorandum for Cabinet approval aims to deter Indian fishermen from encroaching into Sri Lankan waters and damaging the nets of local fishermen. Recruitment for the voluntary force will be conducted through North-based Fishermen Unions.
Indian trawlers entering Sri Lankan waters on a daily basis have severely impacted the livelihoods of local fishermen, resulting in substantial economic losses for the country. The Navy recently arrested fifteen Indian fishermen for engaging in bottom trawling near Karainagar, Jaffna, along with a trawler, bringing the total number of Indian poaching trawlers and fishermen taken into custody this year to sixteen and 125, respectively.
