The AIADMK’s general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, on Wednesday, August 23, 2023 blamed Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for not sending Fisheries Minister Anitha R. Radhakrishnan to Nagapattinam district to offer solace to the fishing community and to render relief and assistance to fishremen in the light of the attacks on members of the community in the middle of the sea, over the past few days.
In a statement, Mr. Palaniswami referred to an ongoing agitation by the community in the district and said he had asked former Minister O.S. Manian to enable the provision of financial assistance and medical care to the affected fishermen. But the Chief Minister, Mr. Palaniswami said, had only performed the “Himalayan task” of sending a letter to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Mr. Palaniswami urged the Chief Minister to strengthen the Coastal Security Group of the Police and arrange for all forms of assistance to be provided to the fishing community of Nagapattinam.
In a letter to the External Affairs Minister, the AIADMK’s former coordinator, O. Pannereselvam, alleged that the pirates who attacked the Nagapattinam fishermen were from Sri Lanka, and requested the Minister to ensure that such an incident did not recur.
