DMK govt fails to take concrete measures to ensure rights of TN fishermen: D Jayakumar
He wondered why the CM did not take more concrete measures to ensure the livelihood of the TN fishermen and call on the Prime Minister regarding the issue instead of sending a delegation headed by MP T R Baalu to meet the Union Minister.
D Jayakumar (File)
CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader and former Minister D Jayakumar on Sunday slammed the Tamil Nadu government for allegedly failing to exert political pressure on the Union government to protect the fishermen, who are frequently attacked by the Navy of the neighbouring country. He also charged that the ruling party functionaries, from ministers to ward councilors, are abusing public and government officials.
Fishermen from the State, who stray into the international maritime boundary line unintentionally, were being attacked frequently and their boats and belongings were forcibly taken away. Such attacks have also become common in the recent past. However, the TN government did not take appropriate measures to exert pressure on the Union Government to act upon the issue to ensure the safety of the fishermen, said the former Fisheries Minister after visiting the special camps held in designated polling stations to facilitate inclusion, deletion and making changes in voters' list in Royapuram.
He wondered why the CM did not take more concrete measures to ensure the livelihood of the TN fishermen and call on the Prime Minister regarding the issue instead of sending a delegation headed by MP T R Baalu to meet the Union Minister.
On flooding of certain sections in Chennai following rains, Jayakumar said that Minister K N Nehru and Mayor Priya had said earlier that over 90% of the stormwater works were completed and assured that the city would face waterlogging issues. However, the problem still remains and the people continue to suffer.
He also took a dig at State Health Minister Ma Subramanian that he was "incapable" of handling the Department of Health and he was "fit" to be organiser of walkathons.
The CM was down with a fever and the cases of dengue, and flu were on the rise. But, the Minister was busy opening walking tracks without addressing the key health issues. The health department under the DMK regime lost its efficiency, he further said.
Meanwhile, senior Ministers to the ward councilors of the DMK behaving unruly. They were abusing the public, and government officials and assaulting police personnel, he said and pointed out the recent incident in Perambalur district collectorate over stone quarry tender issue.