Jaya wanted joint meet, says Naraya­na­samy

Puducherry: Union Minister of State for PMO V. Naraya­na­samy said Sunday that a joint meeting of officials of Central government, Sri Lankan government and government of Tamil Nadu is likely to be held on January 20 to discuss the issues concerning fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal in Puducherry.  Speaking to reporters, he said that over the last two months the Centre had been taking active steps to put an end to the problems faced by fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal.

The joint meeting of officials of Sri Lanka and India and fishermen representatives of both the countries would be held in Chennai on Jan. 20 to end the grievances of fishermen.

The proposed meeting would discuss and finalise the territorial limits within which the fishermen of both the countries would carry on their regular operations. He said that Tamil Nadu Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa had also sought a joint meeting of officials of both the countries in Tamil Nadu to find a permanent solution for settlement of the issue. 

Nearly 300 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Karaikal who are lodged in Sri Lankan prisons should be immediately released. There should be no link between the release of fishermen and their fishing vessels with the outcome of the proposed talks as the basis of those negotiations are different. He further added that the proposed talks should also include fishermen of Karaikal.

Narayanasamy charged the Puducherry government with neglecting the interest of fishermen of Karaikal in the Union territory. Although three months had passed since about 27 fishermen from Karaikal were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy, the territorial government had not taken any steps to represent to the Centre the woes of the fishermen.

The families of the fishermen should be immediately provided with relief as they were undergoing severe hardship. He demanded that the Puducherry government arrest the culprits who had instigated violence by desecrating the statues of B.R. Ambedkar and Ramasamy Pada­yachi in Madagadipet and Thirubhuvanai in Puducherry.