(July 19, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Urging members of all parties to unite and fight for the cause of Tamil fishermen, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today (July 19) said the Centre should help get back the rights of Tamil fishermen in Katchatheevu.
A State-wide fast was observed by the DMK today to press the Centre to take up with the Sri Lankan government the issue of ‘frequent’ killings of Indian fishermen allegedly by the island navy.
Interestingly the fast organised by the ruling DMK throughout the State provided a platform for the senior DMK leaders to launch an attack on DMDK leader Vijayakanth, heap laurels on their pown arty chief and also show their might in assembling huge crowds.
In Chennai, the fast was presided over by Arcot Veerasamy and senior DMK leaders and cadres took part.
Speaking on the occasion, Karunanidhi said, ‘the protests for the cause of Tamil fishermen have been continuing for the past five decades. We should understand the travails and difficulties our fishermen are facing at the hands of the Sinhala Navy.’
‘When the rights of our fishermen are not respected, we are forced to protest in a peaceful and non-violent way. However, the Sri Lankan government pays no heed to all our protests and continue to act in a arrogant manner’, Karunanidhi said and added, ‘now. we are compelled to knock on the doors of the Centre’.
‘Fear looms large on the families of the fishermen over their safety. Sri Lankan army is ruthlessly killing Tamil fishermen, who are venturing out into the sea. It has become a daily routine. We took several efforts to prevent such atrocities,’ Karunanidhi added.
On allegations that DMK was responsible for giving Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka, Karunanidhi recalled that in 1971 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi signed a pact with Sri Lankan government in this regard, the DMK had passed a resolution urging the Centre to reconsider the agreement.
‘Former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa too had passed a resolution in 1991 to retrieve Katchatheevu. In this issue, all the parties today stand united,’ he said.
‘Unfortunately only during the 1976 emergency, the rights of Tamil fishermen in Katchatheevu was lost. We are now fighting to get back our rights. Everyone should join hands cutting across party lines to champion the cause’, he said.
Meanwhile, launching an indirect attack on the DMDK president Vijayakanth, Arcot Veerasamy said, ‘some political infants have unleashed verbal abuse on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to desperately gain an identity in politics. ‘Everyone knows the sacrifices and struggle of Karunanidhi on the fishermen issue. He voices his support whenever Tamils face troubles anywhere in the globe.’
State Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, DMK MPs, MLAs, former Ministers Indirakumari, S Madhavan, Chennai Mayor M Subramanian, State Planning Commission vice president Naganathan and representatives of various fishermen association took part in the protest.
In Madurai, the fast was presided over by M K Azhagiri, elder son of Karunanidhi. Several hundred party cadres including district secretary Velusamy attended the fast. Azhagiri’s daughter Kayalvizhi was also present.
At Mamallapuram, the fast was presided over by State Minister Durai Murugan. Speaking on the occasion, Durai Murugan said, ‘there is no need to hold a similar protest in New Delhi. Karunanidhi has the power to control Delhi from Chennai’.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has assured Karunanidhi of early action over the attacks, he said.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
A State-wide fast was observed by the DMK today to press the Centre to take up with the Sri Lankan government the issue of ‘frequent’ killings of Indian fishermen allegedly by the island navy.
Interestingly the fast organised by the ruling DMK throughout the State provided a platform for the senior DMK leaders to launch an attack on DMDK leader Vijayakanth, heap laurels on their pown arty chief and also show their might in assembling huge crowds.
In Chennai, the fast was presided over by Arcot Veerasamy and senior DMK leaders and cadres took part.
Speaking on the occasion, Karunanidhi said, ‘the protests for the cause of Tamil fishermen have been continuing for the past five decades. We should understand the travails and difficulties our fishermen are facing at the hands of the Sinhala Navy.’
‘When the rights of our fishermen are not respected, we are forced to protest in a peaceful and non-violent way. However, the Sri Lankan government pays no heed to all our protests and continue to act in a arrogant manner’, Karunanidhi said and added, ‘now. we are compelled to knock on the doors of the Centre’.
‘Fear looms large on the families of the fishermen over their safety. Sri Lankan army is ruthlessly killing Tamil fishermen, who are venturing out into the sea. It has become a daily routine. We took several efforts to prevent such atrocities,’ Karunanidhi added.
On allegations that DMK was responsible for giving Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka, Karunanidhi recalled that in 1971 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi signed a pact with Sri Lankan government in this regard, the DMK had passed a resolution urging the Centre to reconsider the agreement.
‘Former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa too had passed a resolution in 1991 to retrieve Katchatheevu. In this issue, all the parties today stand united,’ he said.
‘Unfortunately only during the 1976 emergency, the rights of Tamil fishermen in Katchatheevu was lost. We are now fighting to get back our rights. Everyone should join hands cutting across party lines to champion the cause’, he said.
Meanwhile, launching an indirect attack on the DMDK president Vijayakanth, Arcot Veerasamy said, ‘some political infants have unleashed verbal abuse on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to desperately gain an identity in politics. ‘Everyone knows the sacrifices and struggle of Karunanidhi on the fishermen issue. He voices his support whenever Tamils face troubles anywhere in the globe.’
State Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, DMK MPs, MLAs, former Ministers Indirakumari, S Madhavan, Chennai Mayor M Subramanian, State Planning Commission vice president Naganathan and representatives of various fishermen association took part in the protest.
In Madurai, the fast was presided over by M K Azhagiri, elder son of Karunanidhi. Several hundred party cadres including district secretary Velusamy attended the fast. Azhagiri’s daughter Kayalvizhi was also present.
At Mamallapuram, the fast was presided over by State Minister Durai Murugan. Speaking on the occasion, Durai Murugan said, ‘there is no need to hold a similar protest in New Delhi. Karunanidhi has the power to control Delhi from Chennai’.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has assured Karunanidhi of early action over the attacks, he said.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
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Old man Karunanithi wanted the Island of Kachchaithivu.
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