India has failed to protect fishermen from TN: Pandian

CPI state secretary D Pandian on Monday came down heavily on the central and state governments for failing to protect Indian fishermen from attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Talking to mediapersons here, Pandian said it was a matter of shame for the entire nation that fishermen were continuously being gunned down by Sri Lankan forces without any valid reason. "While we often hear success stories about Indian forces who capture sea pirates in the Somalin Coast situated several miles away from India, we are unable to protect our fishermen who venture into the Rameswaram waters, just a few miles away from the coast. The government is making a clean surrender before the Sri Lankan forces," he alleged.

When asked about the forthcoming elections, he said his party would do its best to bring all opposition forces together, barring the BJP, to defeat the 'corrupt' DMK regime. "There will be more clarity by February 20. The alliance formed by AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa for the last Lok Sabha election still remains strong and vibrant and the focus is now on strengthening it further by inducting other democratic forces," he said. According to him, the seat-sharing talks among alliance partners in the AIADMK front would start after February 20.

Meanwhile, another AIADMK ally, the CPM, will organise a two-day state committee meeting on Monday in Chennai to discuss poll alliance.

Read more: Times of india