DMK President M Karunanidhi today said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Indian government must take urgent steps to prevent continuing attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel. Replying to set of questions, Mr Karunanidhi referred to the recent attack on Nagapattinam fishermen by the Lankan Navy and regretted that despite several efforts, the attacks on fisheremen has become a never ending story. “If the Indian government, without turning a blind eye, did not take urgent steps on this Indo-Sri Lankan issue, I wonder where it will lead to”, he said. Keeping this in mind, the Centre and the Prime Minister should intervene and find a permanent solution to this recurring problem, Mr Karunanidhi said and recalled a resolution passed to this effect in the recent TESO conference organised by the DMK. The DMK Chief also expressed his regret over the Opposition stalling the Parliament without allowing it to transact any business on the Coalgate issue. He recalled Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari’s concluding remarks while adjourning the House sine die as to how a full session was wasted by stalling the proceedings and said despite the Prime Minister agreeing for a debate, the BJP’s adamant stand on the issue was not unacceptable. Referring to the CAG report mentioning loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore in the allocation of coal blocks, Mr Karunanidhi said only a healthy debate would have revealed whether any loss had occurred and what steps should be taken to prevent such losses in future.
—UNI