Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed noisy scenes when finance and fisheries minister D. Jayakumar on Monday alleged that granting of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka in 1974 is the main reason for the problems faced by the state fishermen, Deccan Chronicle reported.
Intervening during the speech of leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin on a call attention on the killing of Thangachimadam fishermen Britjo allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy, the minister recalled the granting of Katchatheevu islet. The DMK members were on their feet strongly objecting to Jayakumar's remarks, leading to noisy scenes in the House.
Speaker P. Dhanapal tried to pacify the DMK members saying that the minister did not refer to the DMK and he was only making a general statement. The minister also asked why the DMK members are agitated at the mention of Katchatheevu.
However, Stalin pointed out that the islet was granted when DMK was in power and listed the party's actions opposing the move by the Centre. He said DMK leader M. Karunanidhi who was the Chief Minister in 1974 had written a letter to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi against granting Katchatheevu to Lanka.
Karunanidhi had recorded the state government's strong opposition to the move with the officials of foreign affairs. Since, the Centre had the power to decide, the islet was granted to Lanka, he explained.
A British national had been arrested over attempting to smuggle in the largest haul of kush( drugs) from Thailand, customs said.
Popular grade five tuition teacher, Hayeshika Fernando wanted over assaulting a 21 year old youth was granted bail today after she surrendered to courts.
The Government of Sri Lanka maintains that the allegation of genocide during the final phase of the conflict in Sri Lanka is unsubstantiated by any credible authority, either nationally or internationally, and is based on misleading information. Sri Lanka firmly rejects this false narrative and believes it has been propagated primarily for electoral gains within Canada.
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