Pondy CM slams Centre for being 'silent' on Lankan attacks

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today hit out at the NDA government at the Centre for being a "silent spectator" without taking steps to prevent frequent attacks on fishermen of Tamil nadu and Puducherry allegedly by Sri Lanka navy.
Addressing reporters here, Narayanasamy said fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were "facing threats and attacks by the Sri Lanka naval forces and also the island republic's coast guard unit."
During the previous UPA regime, effective steps were taken to retrieve the boats and to protect fishermen when incidents of attacks were reported then, he said.
But the present NDA government remains a "silent spectator" without initiating steps to prevent attacks on Indian fishermen although it is the responsibility of the Centre to intervene and bring to an end the unending sufferings of the fishermen and to prevent damage to their fishing vessels, he said.

He said "now time has come for our navy and coast guard to do their duty firmly.We cannot accept the intimidation of our country by Sri Lanka, a small nation," he said.
"The Prime Minister should break his silence and take steps to protect the fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," he said.

Narayanasamy said a joint meeting of the fishermen of Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and also fisheries department officials should be held and a permanent solution should be evolved to put an end to such incidents.
On NEET-based admission, the chief minister said "We have sent a draft bill for approval by the Union Law and HRD Ministries to give a statutory cover for the exemption of Puducherry from NEET."

He also wanted the Centre to let Puducherry conduct jallikattu following representations from various quarters in this regard.
He said government had information that an attempt is being made for exploration of hydrocarbon at Neduncadu village in Karaikal and asserted that it won't allow such moves.
As long as the experiment is resisted strongly by farmers, Puducherry administration would never let any scheme for exploration of hydrocarbon, he said and urged the Centre to give up its reported move.