PM Modi leaves for Sri Lanka today, DMK demands to talk on fishermen issue

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs on Thursday to attend the International Vesak Day celebrations in Sri Lanka as the chief guest, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has requested him to talk on fisherman issue during his visit.

"Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Sri Lanka. Our leader Mr. Stalin has requested, rather demanded, the Prime Minister to use this visit and talk about the issues which are plaguing both the countries. Tamil Nadu fishermen have been repeatedly being shot at, killed, and boats being seized. Our leaders want permanent solution on this issue and hence, we request the Prime Minister to end this problem," DMK leader Sarvanan told ANI.

This will be Prime Minister Modi's second visit to Sri Lanka. He had toured Sri Lanka in March 2015.

Prime Minister's two-day Sri Lanka visit starts from today, confirmed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday.

Vesask marks the birth, enlightenment and the passing of the Buddha.

It was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1999 and then Sri Lanka had played a very important role and India too had supported the Sri Lankan initiative. Sri Lanka is hosting the event for the first time.

Theme of the Vesak Day is 'Buddhist Teachings for Social Justice and Sustainable World Peace'.

Celebrated sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik will be making world's longest sand Buddha statue at a special Vesak zone near Sri Lankan Parliament.

Various religious and political leaders, especially from countries with Buddhist connection, would be attending the event.

According to the MEA, the Prime Minister will also be attending lamp lighting ceremony at Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple in Colombo.

Prime Minister Modi will also be unveiling a plaque commemorating the foundation laying of the faculty of the Kandyan dance, which is being constructed with India's grant assistance.

The Prime Minister will also be visiting the hilly regions of Sri Lanka that host tea plantations. He will be inaugurating a 150-bed multi-specialty hospital at Dikoya.

India will be giving an aid of $2.6 billion for the hospital. Sri Lanka's hilly regions home Indian Tamil people who work in tea plantains.

India will also be participating in International Buddhist Film Festival in Sri Lanka.