New Delhi (Agency): Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, M K Stalin, has expressed strong concern over the continuous attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. Speaking at a fishermen’s welfare conference, he accused the Indian Union government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of being “weak.”
Stalin’s statements come after multiple incidents in which the Sri Lankan Navy has targeted Indian fishermen. According to the Chief Minister, the Lankan Navy attacked Tamil Nadu fishermen 48 times from 2020 until now, with 619 fishermen arrested and 83 boats seized. Although Lanka released 604 fishermen and 16 boats, the attacks continue.
“When attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen continue during Modi’s regime, what does it mean? It means the government led by him is weak,” Stalin stated. He further alleged that the attacks increased after the NDA assumed power in 2014. The practice of taking away fishing boats worth lakhs of rupees has also increased, affecting the livelihood of fishermen. He said, “Breaking up boats and cutting fishing nets is the practice of Sri Lankan government.”
Stalin emphasized that the only solution to this vexing issue is getting back Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka. Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka through maritime boundary agreements in 1974 and 1976. He recalled how his father, late chief minister M Karunanidhi, had opposed this pact, demonstrating evidence that the island belonged to India.
He also accused Prime Minister Modi of failing to fulfill his vows to better the lives of fishermen. He referred to Modi’s blame on the weakness of the Congress government for the harassment of Tamil Nadu fishermen back in April 2014. “We would like to ask whether Tamil Nadu fishermen have not at all been attacked by Sri Lankan Navy during the 9-year BJP rule,” Stalin questioned.
The Chief Minister also made several announcements to benefit the fishermen, including an increase in financial assistance from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 during the annual fishing ban period, and cooperative fisheries loans for 45,000 fishers.
In response to these statements, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai criticized Stalin and defended Prime Minister Modi’s efforts. He pointed out that the central government had implemented several welfare schemes for fishermen, including allotting over Rs 2,820 crore to a separate ministry for the benefit of Tamil Nadu fishermen.
Annamalai also challenged the DMK’s commitment to fishermen’s welfare, asking if they have fulfilled their poll promises, such as building 2 lakh houses for the fishing community. He accused the DMK of shedding ‘crocodile tears’ and not halting the killings of fishermen during their tenure in the UPA-led Centre from 2004-14.
The conference concluded with a condemnation of the harassment and attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy. It emphasized the need to guard the fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen by retrieving Katchatheevu. “There must be a full stop to this. To ensure a permanent full stop, Katchatheevu island should be retrieved. Only that can be the permanent solution to this problem,” stressed Stalin.
