Condemning the attacks on state fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy, DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Monday charged the Central and state governments with not doing enough to address the continuing attacks on TN fishermen.
“My charge is that both the Central and state governments have not accorded due attention to this problem,” he told reporters here.
Mr Karunanidhi demanded that the Centre take measures to find a permanent solution for the issue. “It is a fact that every time Tamil Nadu fishermen are attacked, the state government takes it up with the Centre and Prime Minister, who in turn takes it up with the Sri Lankan high commissioner or that government to satisfy us. Sri Lanka assures the attacks will not recur but they do happen within a day or two of that assurance. Such incidents are a never-ending story,” said his statement.
Referring to the latest incident where the Lankan navy allegedly took away the catch of Indian fishermen forcibly near Katchatheevu in the Palk Straits, he said he “strongly condemned” it.
Recalling the Teso resolution on retrieving Katchatheevu, he said Saturday’s incident had come within a week of placing such a demand. He said the Teso conference had also demanded that India set up a naval base at Dhanushkodi. “The Centre should seek a strong and permanent solution to ensure our fishermen are not attacked,” he said.
Asked if the DMK would take up the matter with the Centre, he recalled that the August 12 Teso conference had adopted a resolution on retrieving Katchatheevu.
Efforts were on to send the Teso resolutions to PM Manmohan Singh and the UN, he said.