Chennai, Feb 7
At a time when it is granting about Rs 18,090 crore as financial assistance to Sri Lanka whose Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris is here in the country, India should not remain silent on the island nation auctioning off the boats of Indian fishermen, PMK Founder S.Ramadoss said here on Monday.
Ramadoss said the Lankan government has decided to auction the 105 fishing boats of Indian fishermen starting Monday.
The boats were confiscated by the Lankan authorities on the grounds that the Indian fishermen fished in the island nation's waters.
Ramadoss said after he had issued a statement opposing Lanka's decision to auction the Indian boats, Chief Minister M.K.Stalin wrote a letter to the central government.
However, more than two weeks has gone and no pressure seems to have been exerted by the Indian government on Lanka and hence the latter is daringly going ahead with the boat auction, Ramadoss said.
According to him, India should stop Lanka from auctioning the boats and also insist that the island nation cooperate in finding a solution for the fishing issue being faced by the Tamil Nadu fishers.
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