Allegations made by Lankan Prez against Indian fishermen unconfirmed: Indian Minister Narayanasamy

Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office V. Narayanasamy today urged Colombo not to harm Indian fishermen, if they inadvertently drift into Sri Lanka water while fishing in high seas.

Talking to reporters at the airport on his arrival here , he condemned the continuing attacks on Indian fishermen, including assault, firing and confiscation of their boats and their fish catch. Though it was fact that Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were subjected to attacks by the Lankan Navy, the Union Minister said whenever Sri Lankan fishermen transcend into Indian waters, they were not harmed.

Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office V. Narayanasamy on Saturday said that the accusations made by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa against the fishermen from Tamil Nadu were unsubstantiated.

Narayanasamy on the contrary said that the Indian fishermen were being harassed, and added that they face a lot of problems.

"As far as the point that has been raised by the President of Sri Lanka that their fishermen are being attacked, but on the contrary, we found that there is proof to show that our fishermen were attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy," said Narayanasamy.

"Some of the fishermen were fired at, their boats have been damaged, their boats have been captured, our fishermen were captured and put in the Sri Lankan jail, but none of the Sri Lankan fishermen are kept by us," he added.

. He condemned the recent controversial remarks by Sri Lankan Minister Champika Ranawaka that one Mullivaikal (where Tamil civilians were reportedly killed in large numbers in the war against LTTE) was enough and that no one should try to get a hundred more.

Mr Narayanasamy denied reports in a section of the media that Sri Lanka had of late started 'ignoring' India and was moving closer to China by handing over key developmental projects to it. The Minister, however, minced no words in condemning the remarks of a Sri Lankan Minister that there would be 100 more Mullivaikals, where a large number of innocent Tamils were killed during the final phase of the war against LTTE.

- Asian Tribune –

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