Sri Lanka shooting Indian fishermen unnerves Karunanidhi

DMK president and the leader of Tamil Eelam Supporters' Organisation (TESO) M Karunanidhi today wondered how long the government would remain silent as Indian fishermen are being shot daily by the Sri Lankan Navy.

DMK president and the leader of Tamil Eelam Supporters' Organisation (TESO) M Karunanidhi on Thursday wondered how long the government would remain silent as Indian fishermen are being shot daily by the Sri Lankan Navy.

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Addressing a TESO rally in Chennai, Karunanidhi said: "Everyday, the Indian fishermen are being shot at; abducted, their boats are damaged and their catch confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy. How long can the fishermen and the people of Tamil Nadu tolerate this?"

He said the rulers should realise that there is a limit for patience.

Urging the central government not to remain deaf, Karunanidhi added it would be an insult to Tamils if India participates in the November 15-17, 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo.

Referring to the resolutions passed at the July 2013 TESO meeting, Karunanidhi said Sri Lanka should implement the 13th amendment to its Constitution in full and not in parts.

The 13th amendment in the Sri Lankan constitution was carried out with Indian backing in 1987. It created Provincial Councils and made Tamil an official language and English a link language.

But the regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has threatened to dilute its provisions, causing dismay in India.