PMK urges MK to call on PM

Chennai, Jul 3 (UNI) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder leader S Ramadoss today urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and put an end to the harassment of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Referring to the abduction of about 1,000 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, by the Navy on July two, Dr Ramadoss in a statement here said, the Naval personnel had detained the fishermen for a night and released them the next day morning after severely beating them up.

Everytime, when the fishermen were subjected to harassment or attacked, it has become a routine for the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary to write to the Centre, demanding action and keep quiet.

In September last and in June this year, the Chief Minister had written letters to the Prime Minister, demanding that the Centre take up the issue with the Lankan Government, but no action was taken by the Centre.

On the July two incident, he said never in the world history, a country's armed force had taken away about 1,000 fishermen of another country at gun point. Only fishermen from Tamil Nadu were subjected to this kind of atrocities.

The Sri Lankan Navy's atrotious action was a clear challenge posed to India's soverignity, he said, adding the time has come for the review of agreements reached with Sri Lanka in 1974 and 1976 regarding Katchativu and International waters.

Dr Ramadoss said India should cancell the agreements and get back Katchativu, which was given in a platter to Sri Lanka.

Instead of writing to the Centre, the Chief Minister should visit Delhi and meet the Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and discuss with them a lasting solution.

He suggested that the Chief Minister should tell the Central leaders that he would return to Chennai only after India issued a stern warning to Sri Lanka that it would face serious consequences, if it attacked Indian fishermen.

If necessary, the Chief Minister could take an all party delegation, he said.

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