Govt has always taken care of welfare of our Tamil brothers, sisters in Sri Lanka: PM Narendra Modi at Chennai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that through development works, his Government is ensuring the welfare of Sri Lanka`s Tamil community. `The resources given by our Government for Tamils have been much more than in the past,` PM Modi said.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (February 14, 2021) said that the Government has always taken care of the welfare and aspirations of India's Tamil brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. 

PM Modi while inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for several key projects in Tamil Nadu said, "Our Government has always taken care of the welfare and aspirations of our Tamil brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. It is my honour to have been the only Indian PM to visit Jaffna." 

The Prime Minister asserted that through development works, his Government is ensuring the welfare of Sri Lanka's Tamil community.

"The resources given by our Government for Tamils have been much more than in the past. The projects include: Fifty thousand houses for displaced Tamils in North-Eastern Sri Lanka.Four thousand houses in the plantation areas. On the health side, we financed a free ambulance service which is widely used by the Tamil community. A hospital has been built in Dickoya. To boost connectivity, the railway network to Jaffna and to Mannar is being re-built. Flights have been established from Chennai to Jaffna," stated PM Modi.

He added, "I feel happy to share that India has built the Jaffna Cultural Centre which we hope to open soon." 

PM Modi said that the issue of Tamil rights has also been taken up by us consistently with Sri Lankan leaders.

"We are always committed to ensuring that they live with equality, justice peace and dignity," he said.

He also talked about the problem faced by Indian fishermen and said, "I do not wish to go into the history of the problem. But let me assure you that my Government will always protect their rightful interests. We have ensured early release whenever fishermen are apprehended in Sri Lanka." 

PM Modi said that more than sixteen hundred fishermen have been released during his tenure and that currently, there is no Indian fisherman in the Sri Lankan custody. 

"Similarly, three hundred and thirteen boats have also been released and we are working for the return of the rest of the boats, he said.

During his visit to Chennai, PM Modi handed over Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to the Army and also paid homage to the Pulwama attack martyrs. 

He expressed, "It is our honour to work towards preserving and celebrating the culture of Tamil Nadu. The culture of Tamil Nadu is popular globally."