Fishermen of 10 coastal hamlets to boycott assembly polls in Tamil Nadu

Nagapattinam (TN) April 18: Fishermen of 10 coastal hamlets in the district have decided to boycott the May 16 assembly polls as their long pending demand to set up a fishing harbour at Tarangambadi has reportedly not received any attention.

The decision to boycott the polls was taken at a meeting of representatives of the hamlets at Tarangambadi last evening.

The resolution passed at the meeting said that the fishermen had been stressing the need to have a fishing harbour at Tarangambadi for the past 15 years.

No political party all these years had carried out the promise. It pointed out that the fishermen had resorted to an indefinite fast last year to get the project implemented, following which the district administration had promised action.

However, nothing had fructified. "Since our just and long pending demand has not been conceded, there is no alternative but to boycott the coming assembly polls," the resolution said.

PTI