Stalin questions Modi’s silence on fisherman death

Given the ill-health of Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, at least an officer of the ministry of external affairs should have visited the deceased fisherman’s family in Thangachimadam, the DMK working president said. 

Referring to the infamous Enrica Lexie case in which two Italian marines were arrested for shooting down fishermen off Kerala coast, Stalin said hefty compensation were paid to the family of the fishermen in that case. He asked why the AIADMK regime here has not extended similar pressure on the Union government to ad equately compensate the Rameswaram fisherman killed here. 

He visited the family and condoled fisherman Bridjo’s death.  He said that the deceased fisherman’s family were not even asking compensation and they only want an assurance from the union government that such killings would not recur. 

Suggesting that the chairman of the Upper House had promised to allot time to discuss the issue, Stalin said DMK  MP Kanimozhi has raked up the issue in the Parliament. He added that the Parliament would discuss the issue based on the representation made by the DMK MPs. 

“Whether it is inside the House or outside or people’s forum, DMK would always fight for the rights of the fishermen,” he said. 

Later in the day, former chief minister O Panneerselvam  and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan visited the protesting fishermen and consoled them.