The Centre and the state government are insensitive towards the sufferings of fishermen, who are often attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa said here on Tuesday. “The DMK government has failed to take up the matter with the Centre,” she said, in a statement. Fishermen from Tamil Nadu are often attacked or kidnapped by the Sri Lankan Navy, while the Centre and state government have done nothing in this regard, she alleged.The former CM said a fisherman, who had set sail for fishing with four others from Nagapattinam, was shot dead mid-sea by the Sri Lankan Navy on February 25. This was the second such attack in a month, she said. Earlier, two sons of a fisherman called Kaliyaperumal died due to firing by the Sri Lankan Navy, she added. AIADMK would give Rs 25,000 as solatium to Kaliyaperumal’s family, she said. Meanwhile, MDMK general secretary Vaiko made it clear that though his party supported the LTTE’s armed struggle in the island nation for a separate Tamil Eelam, it objected to TN being used as a ground for militant activities. He blamed the Centre and the navy for turning a blind eye to the attack on the Indian fishermen.
