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[size=14pt]Alleged shootout incident: Sri Lankan Navy's action unpardonable offence- Jayalalithaa
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All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam General Secretary and former chief minister of Tamil Nadu Ms J. Jayalalithaa has said that the growing indiscriminate attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy was an unpardonable offence as it was in violation of the 1974 'Kathcatheevu agreement' entered into between India and Lanka.

In a statement here on Sunday, Ms Jayalalithaa condemned the recent killing of Tamil Nadu fisherman Pandiyan by the Lankan Navy on January 12 and the subsequent attacks on fishermen belonging to Rameswaram.

The lives of the fishermen were at stake in view of the continuing attacks, which had claimed the lives of hundreds of fishermen in the past, she added.

The attacks were in violation of the 1974 Indo-Sri Lanka pact that allowed Tamil Nadu fishermen the rights for fishing and drying up their nets near the Katchateevu island.

The growing attacks in violation of this agreement were an unpardonable offence, she added.

Ms Jayalalithaa said though it was quite common for fishermen to cross the International Maritime Boundary Line inadvertently while fishing, it would only be prudent to arrive at a solution to such issues through agreements.

''But the Sri Lankan Navy, on the contrary, had been indulging in indiscriminate attacks, leading to more heightened tension in the Lankan border, than on the Indo-Pak borders,'' she charged.

Attack on the Centre and Karunanidhi

Accusing the Centre of maintaining silence on the issue of easing the tension in the Sri Lankan border, she said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, whose DMK was a key ally of the Congress-led UPA, had stopped by sending a Telegram to the Prime Minister on the issue.

Quoting media reports, Ms Jayalalithaa said the Sri Lankan President had said 'no' to a question on whether Indian Prime Minister spoke to him on the issue. ''This showed that the Chief Minister had no care for the interests of the fishermen,'' she alleged.

Accusing the Centre of lacking wherewithal to prevent such attacks, the AIADMK leader wanted the Indian Government to take concrete steps that were aimed at putting an end to such killings.

Restore MGR's Rule

In a another statement Ms Jayalalithaa has exhorted the party workers to restore the Golden rule of Party Founder MGR in Tamil Nadu after the Assembly elections, due in May.

In an epistle to Party cadres on the eve of MGR's 94th birth anniversary, she said people were put to untold miseries in the present regime headed by the ruling DMK.

Alleging that the DMK government was steeped in corruption, she said people were yearning for a change and to drive out the DMK regime.

''It will not be an exaggeration to say that voters of the State are waiting to drive out the 'anti-people' DMK regime and install the golden rule of MGR,'' she added.

She urged the party workers to take a pledge on this occasion, by dedicating themselves to work for the welfare of the people and for blossoming of 'MGR Rule' in the State.

''The AIADMK workers are duty bound to defeat the sinister designs of our rivals who are out to threaten the voters during elections and work for establishing the MGR rule in the State,'' she added

Chef Damodaran meets Jayalalithaa

Popular Chef K Damodaran, who recently created a Guinness record in cooking, on Sunday called on AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa at her Poes Gaurden residence and sought her blessings.

An AIADMK release here said that Chef Damodaran met Ms Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence, showed the Guiness certificate to her and sought her blessings.

Recently, Mr Damodaran created the World Guinness Record by preparing 617 varieties of dishes in 24 hours, 30 minutes and 18 seconds.

- Asian Tribune -

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