Centre should garner international support against pirates: Naik

Panaji, Oct 9 (UNI) In view of the increasing incidence of ship hijack, Senior Congress leader and MP Shantaram Naik has urged the Centre to garner international support to combat the menace.

In a letter to Union Minister of Defence A K Anthony, Mr Naik said the Union government should take an initiative for an institutionalised international mechanism to tackle the problem.

He said the Central Government in the recently amended Merchant and Shipping Act, has failed to make provision for safety of seafarers against piracy.

Mr Naik said the yet to be passed maritime policy, drafted by the Union Ministry of Shipping, Roads, Transport and Highways also does not mention of piracy.

The scope of Convention of Indian Maritime Organization on piracy is very limited for co-operation among countries, Mr Naik said.

If the Government of India finds difficulty in adopting the ''Hot Pursuit'' route for saving the Indian sailors on account of various risks involved, an international mechanism is a must, Mr Naik said.

It is difficult to imagine that in this globalization era, the age old class of pirates still exist and are posing a threat, Mr Naik said.

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