Video: Vigneswaran hits out at Ranil

15 March 2015 05:35 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 9 Bookmark

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After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jaffna, the Chief Minister of Tamil-majority region in Sri Lanka hit out at Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe for his controversial comments on shooting trespassing Indian fishermen.

Talking exclusively to CNN-IBN CV Vigneswaran said, "That is not the way for a head of government to say to a friendly country. As far as the fishermen are concerned, all deep sea trawlers must be sent to Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea."

"The solution is to prohibit trawlers in the Palk Strait Area and have a Palk Strait management committee and they should be in a position to see that none of these things are happening and that they go to deep sea," Vigneswaran added.

Wickramasinghe had alleged that Indian fishermen were taking away the livelihood of Northern Lanka fishermen. "If someone tries to break into my house, I can shoot. If he gets killed, law allows me to do that," he said.

As many as 86 Indian fishermen were arrested and their 10 fishing boats seized by the Sri Lanka Navy for allegedly poaching in the country's waters in February.

Modi on Saturday night returned home after wrapping up his five-day three- nation tour.

During his Sri Lanka visit, the first by an Indian PM in almost 28 years, Modi reached out to the country, saying the security of the two nations is "indivisible" and favoured a life of equality, justice and dignity for Tamils in its "new journey" of peace and reconciliation.

He also addressed the Sri Lankan Parliament and held talks with top Lankan leadership, including President Maithripala Sirisena, during his visit.

Comments - 9

Hiran Sunday, 15 March 2015 11:30 AM

Mr. CM, you better find who the actual wrongdoer in this issue and make statements on behalf of the best interest of the people who elected you. This means, you must take care of the best interest of Northern fishermen and do not make any supportive statements Indian fishermen those illegally stealing the fish. Are you getting big bucks from Indian fishermen when you make donkey statements? Shame on you!!!

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Lalith Sunday, 15 March 2015 11:47 AM

RW threat of shooting fishermen, stalling of tata project and this one of CW are clever strategies to divert attention of masses

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Janz Sunday, 15 March 2015 11:50 AM

SL will be a two nation country soon. we will not be able to reverse these because of international backing.

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Prometheus Sunday, 15 March 2015 12:51 PM

RW should come clean and either apologize or at least express his regret over his statement. There are much more diplomatic ways of commenting on Indian fisherman trespassing.

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Dilan Sunday, 15 March 2015 01:26 PM

Sri Lanka was three nation before independents.

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Chande Sunday, 15 March 2015 06:49 PM

MR corrected it as one.

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[email protected] Sunday, 15 March 2015 07:44 PM

Friendly match. Each trying to please india over their own people.

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will d. harman Sunday, 15 March 2015 08:16 PM

However, it is OK for Wigneswaran to talk of genocide, and make baseless inflammatory statements.

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Prem Monday, 16 March 2015 01:20 PM

Mr.Vigneshwaran,Mr.Ranil spoke for the right of Sri Lankan fishermen,mostly tamil for whom you shed crocodile tears.

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