Vaiko alleges SLN killed over 800 Indian fishers

India’s MDMK General Secretary and Rajya Sabha member Vaiko on Tuesday (31) urged Narandra Modi’s government to handle its relationship with Sri Lanka taking into consideration the threat posed by China’s entry into the island nation, the Indian media reported.

Addressing an all-party meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi, Vaiko said China had constructed a port in Hambantota and the Indian government should realise that the threat to the country from China would emerge first from the south.

A statement issued by MDMK said that Vaiko also drew Rajnath Singh’s attention to the alleged attack on Tamil fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, claiming that “over 800 fishermen had been killed so far” and there was no protection to their lives and belongings. He also used the occasion to launch an attack on Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi, accusing him of “blabbering on one issue or another.”

When Vaiko said Mr. Ravi had remarked that the country attained Independence because of Subhas Chandra Bose, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahalad Joshi said that the Governor had clarified his comments. “His comments have appeared in all newspapers and other media. Probably, the Minister has not read them,” Vaiko said.

He said that Indian democracy was facing a major threat and would die if “Hindutva forces” succeeded in implementing one country, one election, one language and one religion.