Chennai, Mar 2 (UNI) Instead of politicising and finding fault with the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government should undertake constructive approach and work together with the Union Government that would go a long way in wiping out the tears of the affected fishermen, who were subjected to frequent arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy, Governor R N Ravi said on Sunday.
Referring to the conceding of the Katchatheevu an islet, to Sri Lanka in 1974, he said the then governments in Delhi and Chennai had committed a grave sin by depriving the fishermen their traditional fishing rights around the Katchatheevu island.
He said the party ruling the state today as an ally of the then Central Government was equally responsible for the wrong in 1974 (conceding Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka) through an agreement.
Deeply sympathising with them, the Governor, in a post on X in both English and Tamil and sharing the photos, after fishermen association submitted a petition to him seeking Centre's intervention during his visit to Rameswaram earlier in the day, said the fishermen are victims of an iniquitous agreement of 1974 which was extremely insensitive to the livelihood concerns of the poor fishermen.
Observing that the fishing community have been suffering enduring hardship since then (conceding
of the Katchatheevu islet), the Govrenor said they were arrested and their boats confiscated by Sri Lankan authorities.
Noting that this enduring problem has to have an enduring solution, Mr Ravi said the state and central governments together have to work towards it.
"Instead of politicising this issue and faulting the Central Government a constructive approach by the State Government will go a long way in wiping the tears of the affected fishermen", he added.
Mr Ravi wrote "in my visit to Rameswaram today, I met our distressed brothers and sisters from fishing community. I deeply sympathise with them."
"They are victims of an iniquitous agreement of 1974 which was extremely insensitive to the livelihood concerns of our poor fishermen", he said.
"The then governments in Delhi and Chennai committed a grave sin by depriving our fishermen of their traditional fishing rights in the sea around Katchatheevu island", he said.
"Since then our fishing community have been suffering enduring hardship. They are arrested and their boats confiscated by Sri Lankan authorities", Mr Ravi pointed out.
"This enduring problem has to have an enduring solution", the Governor said.
Advocating a permanent solution to his vexatious issue, Mr Ravi suggested that the state and central governments should work together towards this.
"Instead of politicising this issue and faulting the Central Government a constructive approach by the State Government will go a long way in wiping the tears of our affected people", Mr Ravi said.
"After all it is the party ruling the state today as an ally of the then Central Government was equally responsible for the wrong in 1974", he added.
UNI GV 1725