Indo-SL fishermen talks should resolve issue

G. Ramakrishnan suggested that the Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen should hold talks to find an amicable solution to the ‘fishermen issue’.

Talking to reporters, Mr Ramakrishnan, who was here to declare open party’s district committee new building, said as the issue involved fishermen of two countries, they should sit across the table and iron out the differences.

Seeking the intervention of the Centre, he said prior to the fishermen level talks, the Indian and Sri Lankan governments should hold talks and lay a platform for the fishermen to resolve the issue.

He said the Lankan navy could arrest the Indian fishermen, when they crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), but the Navy resorting to opening fire against the fishermen or attacking Indian fishermen, when they crossed the IMBL deserved severe condemnation.

Answering a question, the Left party leader demanded that the UPA government cancel the Rs.3,600 crore VVIP Helicopter deal and order a probe monitored by the Supreme Court on the lines of a probe ordered into the 2G spectrum scam.

He said the party has not given any thought to the alliance strategy for the coming Lok Sabha elections as there was still time.

The CPI (M), however, was keen on forming a front to vehemently oppose the UPA’s neo liberal economic policies, which have turned out to be disastrous for the people, he said. The prices were skyrocketing on the one side and the GDP has hit a new low in the last ten years on the other. The rate of employment was also on the decline, he said.

Alleging that the Centre’s direct cash transfer scheme would have a disastrous effect, he said this would destroy the public distribution system in the country. Similarly, the duel diesel pricing policy would also cripple the public transport system, Mr Ramakrishnan said.

“The Centre does not care for the people, but cares only for the monopolists and multi-national companies,” he alleged.

On the demand for abolition of capital punishment, he said the party’s central committee proposed to launch a process of discussion on the issue. (Source: the Hindu)