Fisher folks stage begging protest at Thangachimadam
Some fisherwomen, who took part in the agitation, begged for money from the public and passengers after intercepting auto-rickshaws on the occasion.
Fisherfolks carry bowls begging for money during a protest at Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram district on Monday
MADURAI: Fisher folks staged a novel protest at Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram district on Monday as they carried begging bowls to symbolically express their need for help in raising money to support the livelihoods of the aggrieved families of fishermen, who were jailed in Sri Lankan prisons.
Some fisherwomen, who took part in the agitation, begged for money from the public and passengers after intercepting auto-rickshaws on the occasion.
The members of All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association, Rameswaram have been engaged in a series of protests demanding the intervention of state and central governments to ensure the release of jailed Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boats from Sri Lanka.
The indefinite strike being organised by the association has entered its fourth day at Thangachimadam after the fishermen have struck their work at sea, sources said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Anitha R Radhakrishnan met the agitating fisher folks at Thangachimadam.
He informed the fishermen that Chief Minister MK Stalin had agreed to demands for enhancing compensation for each of the 87 TN mechanised boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy that remain in the island nation’s custody and the State government would appoint an advocate to prosecute cases concerning the jailed fishermen in Sri Lanka. The state government will also increase the daily allowance of Rs 350 for each of their families.
“The Chief Minister would soon issue a notification regarding these developments,” Radhakrishnan said, adding that arrangements would be made by a delegation of MPs led by Kanimozhi Karunanidhi with representatives of fishermen associations to meet the External Affairs Minister in Delhi for a lasting solution to end problems concerning TN fishermen.
Moreover, the minister condemned the BJP state president K Annamalai for terming the fishermen as smugglers and added that Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi knew nothing about the Katchatheevu issue. The minister was accompanied by Katharbatcha Muthuramalingam, Ramanathapuram MLA, Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon and Superintendent of Police G Chandeesh, sources said.
