Chennai: Charging the Centre with `failing`
to protect Indian fishermen against attacks allegedly by the
Sri Lankan navy, MDMK leader Vaiko on Thursday said the fishing
community was angry against the Centre and State governments.
"The DMK, which is part of the central government, cannot
fool people by courting arrest. The fishermen are angry
against the Central and State governments," Vaiko told
reporters here on the sidelines of his party`s General
Council.
DMK leaders, including Member of Parliament Kanimozhi,
were arrested yesterday for trying to take out a protest march
towards the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission here against the
detention of 136 Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka.
Vaiko alleged that during the recent visit of Foreign
Secretary Nirupama Rao to Colombo to take up the issue of
attacks on Indian fishermen with the Sri Lankan government,
Lankan authorities had not responded properly to India`s
concerns.
On the MDMK`s General Council resolutions passed today,
he said the party had resolved to work to bring down the DMK
government in the Assembly elections scheduled in May by
pitting the issue of "loot by a particular family" against the
need for welfare of the people of the state.
A long-time ally of AIADMK, Vaiko said issues such as
price-rise, 2G spectrum allocation scam and deteriorating law
and order situation would work against the DMK-Congress
combine.
Asked if he would contest the Assembly elections, Vaiko
said it would be known only after the party finalises the list
of candidates.
Vaiko had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Lok Sabha
polls from Virudhunagar, losing to Congress.
PTI
