The Fishermen’s Cell of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to come out with new schemes aimed at economic empowerment of the fishermen community in the State.
Participating in a convention organised by Fishermen’s Cell of Mysuru District Congress Committee in Mysuru on Tuesday, president of the Cell Manjunath Sunagar said fishermen remained economically backward even though the fishing industry had been modernised.
Pointing out that fishermen remained one of the most exploited community, Mr. Sunagar said fishing business is one of the most difficult occupations. Even the original form of fishing profession practiced since historic times has been replaced with advanced and latest machinery, thanks to the onslaught of modernity, the financial problems facing the fishermen community are many, he lamented.
He said a list of demands of the fishermen community should be submitted to Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had paid attention to the community in the recent State Budget by promising financial assistance to 10,000 fishermen families for construction of houses.
The election manifesto of the party had also promised increasing the interest-free loans to fisherwomen from ₹50,000 to ₹3 lakh and scholarship for children of the community.
Equating the history of Congress to the history of the country, Mr. Sunagar called upon the fishermen community to drive out communalism in the coming Lok Sabha elections. He said the BJP goes to polls only in the name of temples while failing to take up development projects, he said.
President of Mysuru District Congress Committee B.J. Vijaykumar described fishing as a “sacred” profession and added that Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had set aside ₹3,000 crore in the State Budget for the welfare of fishermen’s community, had strengthened the foundations of social justice by bringing the oppressed communities into the mainstream of society.
Mr. Vijaykumar also claimed that fishermen comprised more than 70% of the participants in historic Dandi march or salt march led by Mahatma Gandhi through more than 380 km in 1930.
Recalling that Babasaheb Ambedkar had opined that the country will develop only when there is diversity in social democracy, Mr. Vijaykumar said there was no space for “one-leader, one-religion, and one-language” policy espoused by the BJP. Mr. Vijaykumar handed over the demands listed out by the Fishermen’s Cell of Mysuru district to Mr. Sunagar.
Later, Congress worker Ramanahalli Siddaiah took charge as president of the Fishermen’s Cell of Mysuru District Congress Committee.
