After Modi’s ‘saved 600 fishermen’ claim, Stalin accuses PM of ignoring Tamil Nadu’s demands during Sri Lanka visit

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that the Centre always stood firmly with fishermen to protect their interests, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin accused in the state assembly that the prime minister ignored Tamil Nadu’s demands, including on fishermen’s safety, during his recent to Sri Lanka.

 

Addressing the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday, Stalin accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre of “neglecting state’s demands” and failing to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen’s rights. Stalin said resolution was passed in the assembly urging the Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu Island and take up discussions on this regard with the Sri Lanka government. Modi, who visited Sri Lanka recently, returned to India on Sunday and inaugurated the various development projects in Tamil Nadu. He also inaugurated the Pamban rail bridge, India’s first vertical lift bridge.

 

“We passed a resolution in the assembly to stop Tamil Nadu fishermen from being continuously arrested by the Sri Lankan navy. In the resolution, we requested to retrieve Katchatheevu Island, release fishermen from Sri Lankan prisons and return the boats captured by the Sri Lankan navy. We mentioned in the resolution that PM Modi should take action by speaking with the Sri Lankan government when he visits Sri Lanka,” ANI reported quoting Stalin.

 

Stalin said it seems Katchatheevu issue was not discussed during Modi’s recent visit and the state’s demands were ignored. “This only shows that Tamil Nadu's demand for retrieving Katchatheevu has been ignored. It does not appear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who went to Sri Lanka, raised the fishermen's release, too. This is regrettable and disappointing," he added. 

 

 

The Tamil Nadu assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution unanimously to retrieve Katchatheevu Island from Sri Lanka and find a permanent solution regarding the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy. Stalin also wrote to the prime minister ahead of his visit and urged Modi to hold discussions with the Sri Lankan government over the issue.

 

 On Sunday, addressing at an event in Tamil Nadu, Modi said, “The Government of Bharat stands firmly with fishermen in times of crisis. Due to the efforts of the Indian government, more than 3,700 fishermen have been brought back safely from Sri Lanka in the last 10 years. Out of these, over 600 fishermen were freed just in the past year. You may also remember that some of our fishermen were sentenced to death. But we worked tirelessly to bring them back alive and reunite them with their families in Bharat.”

India