HC seeks govt reply on Rs 1 cr relief to slain fishers Madurai

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Centre and state to respond to the plea seeking Rs 1 crore compensation for fishermen killed in Sri Lankan Navy attacks at sea. G Thirumurugan, coordinator of Tamilnadu Meenavar Paadhugaapu Urimai Iyakkam, Ramanathapuram in a petition wanted the External Affairs Ministry and state government to take appropriate action to save lives of the Tamil Nadu fishermen and also provide Rs 1 crore as compensation to the families of the fishermen killed by the Sri Lankan Navy in accordance with law. From 1974 to till date, over 500 fishermen were killed by the Sri Lankan Navy, but the Centre has not registered any murder case against the Lankan Navy so far. Such arrests were made in gross violation of Article 6 of the 1974 agreement. Centre as well as state governments are duty bound to protect us, but they are irresponsible. Much to the agony, the Tamil Nadu fishermen were sprayed with the disinfectant upon their entry into Sri Lanka which’s a gross human rights violation. The video of the Tamil fishers doused in a chemical solution went viral on social media and other platforms. At present, the family members of arrested fishermen are suffering a lot without any income. The Tamil Nadu fishermen are deprived of the right to life and livelihoods at stake due to the atrocities of the Lankan Navy. A division bench of Justice R Subramanian and Justice L Victoria Gowri, after hearing the plea, directed the central and the state governments to respond and adjourned the case by four weeks.