Church function in Katchatheevu put off

The Rameswaram mechanised boat owners association president S. Emeritt said that though they were not invited by the Jaffna Catholic diocese in Sri Lanka to the church function at Katchatheevu, we decided to go to the event. Talking to DTNext, he said, fishermen from various hamlets in Rameswaram decided to visit the tiny island thogu the central government refusing travel permission and the Jaffna diocese also not sending a proper invitation. The intention behind the fishermen’s proposed tour was to ensure that their traditional rights to visit the church in the island as they were regularly going for the two-day shrine festival during February – March. “Fishermen are now in mourning over Jayalalithaa’s demise” he said. Recalling that she was the first to raise her voice on their behalf whenever the Sri Lankan Navy arrested the Tamil Nadu fishermen or seized their boats, he said. “Now we have no one to help or guide us and we do not know who will represent our grievances in a strong and convincing manner. With the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre not making a proactive approach to our problems, it is now a big question whether the successor of Jayalalithaa will be an able administrator in dealing with the Central and Sri Lankan governments,” he further added.