NHRC seek report on fishermen

19 March 2011 11:59 am

The Indian National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a report from the Indian ministry of external affairs on a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari about the killing of Tamil Nadu fishermen reportedly by the Sri Lankan navy.

According to a BJP statement Saturday, the petition referred to the “barbaric killing of more than 500 innocent Tamil fishermen in the past”.

The NHRC notice mentioned that such innocent fishermen are often shot at or tortured by the Sri Lankan Navy and the Indian government is doing nothing to protect them, the statement said.

Gadkari had moved the commission March 3 to seek directions to the central and state governments to stop the killings and torture of Tamil fishermen.

Gadkari, accompanied by BJP national secretary Murlidhar Rao and Tamil Nadu BJP president Radhakrishnan, visited the NHRC.

He alleged that there had been an escalation in attacks on Tamil fishermen at sea during the United Progressive Alliance government’s rule.

Gadkari urged the commission to enquire from the state government if chargesheets had been filed in the cases related to the killings and if any prosecution has been made.

Gadkari also said that the Indo-Sri Lanka joint working group (JWG) on fishing should be reactivated.

The statement said that the BJP will raise the fishermen’s issue during the coming Tamil Nadu assembly polls. (IANS)