Puducherry unit of AIADMK ridicules Narayanasamy`s remarks

Puducherry unit of AIADMK termed V Narayanasamy`s remarks as `childish` that dialogue at fishermen level could solve the issue of attacks.

Puducherry: Hitting back at Union Minister V Narayanasamy, Puducherry unit of AIADMK on Wednesday termed as `childish` his remarks that dialogue at fishermen level could solve the issue of attacks on Indian fishermen allegedly by Sri Lankan Naval personnel.

"It is really ridiculous that Narayanasamy aspires for panchayat-level talks for an international issue," unit Secretary A Anbalagan, MLA, told reporters here. The Minister of State in the PMO had yesterday said here that only through an agreement between leaders of fishermen outfits in Tamil Nadu and their counterparts in Sri Lanka could the present hardships being faced by the state fishermen be brought to an end. Narayanasamy had also blamed the Tamil Nadu Government for its "inaction" to facilitate a dialogue between the fishermen of the two countries despite letters by the External Affairs Secretary. Anbalagan said the fishermen issue was an international problem and needed to be discussed on a broader plane. `It is amusing and also a childish comment on the part of Narayanasamy that through dialogue between the fishermen of both the sides a permanent solution could be arrived at.` This only showed that the Centre was not interested in ending the issue. “Narayanasamy betrayed that the Centre was adopting a step motherly treatment" not only on fishermen issue but also on welfare requirements of the state, he said. He noted that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had made several representations drawing the Centre`s attention to the insecurity faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen because of attacks by Sri Lankan Navy. PTI