Tamil Nadu CM meets PM Modi, submits 14-point demand charter

“Recently, 16 Sri Lankans reached the shores of Tamil Nadu. They embarked on the perilous journey due to unaffordable essential commodities in Sri Lanka.

At present, they are lodged at the permanent transit camp at Mandapam in the Ramanathapuram district,” Stalin, who is also the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president, said.

He also requested the Centre to accord necessary permission to provide essential commodities and life-saving medicines to the Sri Lankan Tamils living in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka and Colombo as well as those working in the plantation sector who are reeling under a severe food crisis.

On the interstate water dispute with Karnataka, Stalin requested the Prime Minister to direct the Ministry of Jal Shakti not to give any clearance to Karnataka for the Mekedatu Project or for any new reservoir project of Karnataka in the Cauvery basin.

He said the Prime Minister should also advise the Cauvery Water Management Authority not to give approval without the prior consent of the Tamil Nadu government.

In a bid to protect the traditional fishing rights of the Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay and to ensure their safety and security, Stalin asked the Centre to address the Sri Lankan government to end the arrest and apprehension of fishermen.

In the memorandum, it was noted that Tamil Nadu fishermen are often arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing in their traditional waters in the pretext of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line.

“During the past 11 years, 3,690 fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy and 3,644 fishermen were released and repatriated to Tamil Nadu. The remaining 46 fishermen were released recently and are yet to be repatriated,” Stalin noted.

He said it is imperative to continue the Joint Working Group (JWG) meetings and also the fishermen level talks between the fishermen of the two countries, which has not been held since 2016.

Stalin added, “The state government of Tamil Nadu reiterates its consistent stand that a permanent solution to this vexatious problem faced by their fishermen will be possible only by restoring India’s sovereignty over Katchatheevu.”

Requesting the Centre to extend the period of GST compensation by at least two years beyond June 2022, he it to release the pending GST arrears of Rs 13,504.74 crore to the state at the earliest.

Reiterating the state government’s stand against NEET, Stalin asked the Centre to allow Tamil Nadu to fill all professional seats, including MBBS, BDS and AYUSH courses on the basis of Class XII marks alone. He also requested the Centre to revoke the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

Among other demands are, “Dropping the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) Project, transporting the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) to Russia rather than storing it within the premises of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant and taking steps to include Narikoravar/Kurivikkarar communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Tamil Nadu as envisaged under Article 342(1) and 342(2) of the Constitution of India at the earliest.”

The DMK president is on a three-day visit to the national capital and is scheduled to meet several top leaders.

DMK is inaugurating its party office in the national capital on April 2 and has invited leaders from various parties, including the BJP and the Congress, the party MP Kanimozhi said.