'Attack on Tamil fishermen increased in SL after China opened ports'

Chennai, Jan 2 The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary and Member of Parliament, Vaiko has claimed that the attack on Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu has increased in Sri Lanka ever since China has started opening ports in the island nation.

In a statement, Vaiko has said that the fishermen from Tamil Nadu are arrested, whipped, and jailed by Sri Lankan authorities on flimsy charges and has called upon the Government of India to take the issue at the diplomatic level to find a solution at the earliest.

The senior MDMK leader has also said that his party would not conduct a black flag protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he is arriving at Tamil Nadu on January 12 to inaugurate 11 medical colleges and to participate in Pongal celebrations.

He has said that the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah had "refused" to meet the delegation from Tamil Nadu to speak regarding NEET and added that "this was not good for democracy".

Vaiko, whose party is an alliance partner of the Secular Progressive Alliance led by DMK in the state, also said that he fully agreed with the statement of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol Thirumavalavan that Stalin should take the initiative of opposition leaders against the BJP at the Centre in the next Lok Sabha elections.

Vaiko has asserted that the DMK government is taking on the Union government courageously for the needs and demands of the people of the state.

He has said that the state has a good brain pool of doctors and health care professionals and has urged the Centre to listen to the demands of the people of Tamil Nadu regarding NEET for admission to Medical schools.

The MDMK General Secretary has also alleged that the BJP has "scant respect for democracy and the parliament". "Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself refuses to occupy his seat in the Lok Sabha," he added.