Govt. of India is not for Tamil Nadu, it is for rest of India: DMK

In the backdrop of delegation-level talks between the fishermen associations of India and Sri Lanka, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK) on Thursday alleged that the Centre is silent on issues related to Tamil Nadu.

DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan told ANI, "The central government is silent on any issue regarding Tamil Nadu. This is how they rule the country. Government of India is not for Tamil Nadu, it is for rest of India and this is how they behave."

A delegation-level meeting of fishermen associations of India and Sri Lanka is held in the national capital on Wednesday.

Earlier, an 11-member delegation of Sri Lankan fishermen arrived in Delhi for talks with their Indian counterparts on resolving all issues related to fishing.

The meeting, the fourth in the series, has been called to work out a sustainable solution for trouble-free fishing in the Palk Bay that separates the two countries.

It comes before the foreign ministers of the two countries are to chair meeting of all stakeholders in New Delhi on Saturday to sort out the issue.

The fishing issue was mentioned by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremensinghe during his meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi last month and both sides had agreed to have a high-level meeting.

It is reported that Tamil Nadu fisheries Minister Jayakumar will be attending the talks, along with fishermen representatives from Nagapattinam and Ramanathapuram.

Fishermen from Tamil Nadu are urging the government to secure the release of 115 fishing boats detained by Sri Lanka and fellow fishermen languishing in Lankan jail.

The local fishermen want a lasting solution to the problem of Sri Lankan Navy apprehending them whenever they are fishing near international maritime boundary line. They want to secure the rights to fish in traditional fishing zones near Kachatheevu and Palk Straits. The fishermen talks will give stress to avoid bottom trawling with Irattamadai nets which will destroy fish resources.