Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today sought to take credit for the Centre`s decision to defer the proposed Marine Fisheries bill opposed by AIADMK chief
Jayalalithaa, saying it was done based on his request.
Jayalalithaa had said her party would oppose at the introduction stage itself the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill 2009, which seeks to cap the geographical
fishing zone in Indian waters to 12 nautical miles and levy hefty fines for violation.
Karunanidhi, who had written to the Centre urging wider consultations with stakeholders and Chief Ministers, today thanked the Centre for deferring the tabling of the Bill in the
current Parliament session, "based on the request made by me."
"On behalf of the fishermen of Tamil Nadu, I convey my thanks to you for having taken a decision not to introduce the Bill in the current session based on the request made by me," he said in a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
He recalled his letter to Pawar on November 19 about provisions of the draft bill detrimental to the fishermen.
"I am extremely happy to note that you have deferred the introduction of the bill and that the government will follow wider and detailed consultations with all concerned before
finalising the legislation," he said, recalling deputing Union textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran to meet Pawar on this issue.
Besides deciding to oppose the Bill at introduction stage in both Houses of the Parliament, Jayalalithaa had announced a protest demonstration in Delhi on December 18, a move flayed by Karunanidhi as "vote-garnering technique" for the December
19 bypolls at Tiruchendur(besides Vandavasi).
PTI
