MDMK chief Vaiko on Thursday urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use diplomatic channels to ensure the Sri Lankan government does not add tough penal provisions to a 1979 law that could affect the lives of Tamil fishermen crossing maritime borders.
In a meeting with Modi, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (MDMK) chief informed him how the amendment to the law – that regulates foreign fishing boats in Sri Lankan waters – could affect the lives of Tamil fishermen from India.
“Lives of fishermen would be destroyed if the Sri Lankan legislation is enacted. They will have to pay fines up to Rs 7 crore when they are struggling to pay back existing debt,” Vaiko told reporters in New Delhi.
He apprised the prime minister about the unrest among fishermen in Rameshwaram and their plans to hold a protest demanding the Centre to act against the Sri Lankan move.
Apart from discussing these issues, Vaiko also sought Rs 10,000 crore for the cyclone-hit coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.
Source: PTI
-Agencies
