‘TN’s Demand For Katchatheevu Ignored’: CM Stalin Accuses PM Modi Of Inaction On Fishermen Issue; AIADMK Reacts
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday for neglecting Tamil Nadu's demands regarding the fishermen issue and the retrieval of Katchatheevu islet with Sri Lanka during his recent visit there.
Speaking in the assembly, Stalin also accused PM Modi of not initiating steps to release Tamil Nadu's fishermen and their fishing boats.
"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," PTI quoted Stalin as saying.
While meeting with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday, PM Modi raised the fishermen issue to be solved between the two countries with a humane approach. In response, 14 Indian fishermen were released by Sri Lanka as a special gesture the following day.
Edappadi K Palaniswami Accuses MK Stalin Of 'Blaming Others' On Katchatheevu
Reacting to the remarks made by CM Stalin against PM Modi, Leader of the Opposition AIADMK and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami accused him of 'blaming others' on Katchatheevu, eyeing the next Assembly election in the state.
"Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974 when the DMK was in power. It was the DMK that betrayed Tamil Nadu. But, the CM is blaming others with an eye on the next Assembly election," Palaniswami told news agency PTI outside the Assembly.
During the Congress-led UPA tenure, when the DMK shared power at the Centre, it did little to address the issue, the former chief minister said. "They are the ones who created the problem. They are the ones who are diverting it now," he remarked.
In the Assembly, Stalin stated that the Centre had failed the fishermen but assured that his government remained committed to their welfare. He announced several initiatives, including the development of a fishing harbour at Thangachimadam in Rameswaram at a cost of Rs 150 crore.
Among the other schemes were training for 7,000 individuals in seaweed cultivation, 15,300 fishermen in producing fish and fish-based value-added products, and 14,000 people in mushroom farming and tourist boat operations. These initiatives will be implemented at a cost of ₹53 crore. Stalin added that a dedicated project monitoring unit would be established to oversee and coordinate the programmes.
Last week, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to reclaim the Katchatheevu islet, which was handed over to Sri Lanka through agreements in 1974 and 1976, as a lasting measure to secure Tamil Nadu fishermen’s traditional rights.
The Assembly also appealed to the Prime Minister to engage with the Sri Lankan government during his official visit and secure the release of all Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boats currently in Sri Lankan custody, on humanitarian grounds.
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