PM ignoring Tami Nadu's demand, hasn't taken steps to resolve fishermen issue: CM Stalin

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ignoring Tamil Nadu's demand for resolving the fishermen issue and claimed that he did not seem to have taken up Katchatheevu islet retrieval with Sri Lanka during his recent visit there.

Modi has also not initiated measures to have the Tamil Nadu fishermen and their fishing boats released, Stalin said in the Assembly.

Stalin, making a statement in the House, said, "this only shows that Tamil Nadu's demand for retrieving Katchatheevu has been ignored. It does not appear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who went to Sri Lanka, raised the fishermen's release, too."

"This is regrettable and disappointing," he added.

On Saturday, in his meeting with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Modi had pitched for resolving the fishermen issue between the two countries with a humane approach, and Sri Lanka released 14 Indian fishermen as a special gesture the next day.

Although the Centre has 'let down' the fishermen, his government would continue to strive for their welfare, Stalin said and announced a slew of schemes including a fishing harbour at Thangachimadam, in Rameswaram.

Last week, the Tamil Nadu Assembly had adopted a resolution urging Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu islet, ceded by India to Sri Lanka by way of agreements in 1974 and 1976 , as a permanent solution to protect the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

The House had also urged the Prime Minister to hold talks with the Sri Lankan Government to get all the imprisoned fishermen from the state released along with their boats on a goodwill basis, during his official visit to the island republic.