March 18, Colombo (LNW): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, questioning the Union Government’s apparent lack of assertiveness in pressuring the Sri Lankan government to restore traditional fishing rights for Indian fishermen in the Palk Straits, contrasting it with the vigorous defense of business interests involving Gautam Adani. Stalin’s remarks were prompted by Prime Minister Modi’s recent statements attributing the plight of Tamil Nadu fishermen to the ‘sins’ of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He demanded clarity on the steps taken by the Union Government over the past decade to address the issue, as reported by the Deccan Herald. “The Prime Minister, who proclaims himself as a ‘vishwa guru’ (world teacher), remains silent when questioned about his government’s actions to prevent atrocities against Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lanka,” Stalin asserted in a strongly-worded statement. The Chief Minister’s response followed Modi’s comments during a public address in Kanyakumari, a BJP stronghold, on March 15, where he indirectly linked the challenges faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen to the historical cession of Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974, which occurred during the tenure of the DMK and Congress. Stalin underscored the fact that Katchatheevu was handed over to Sri Lanka despite opposition from the then DMK-led state government headed by M. Karunanidhi, dismissing the notion that a state government could unilaterally transfer territory to another nation. He further pressed the Union Government, particularly the BJP-led administration, to outline efforts made in the past decade to reclaim Katchatheevu and to safeguard Tamil Nadu fishermen from imprisonment by Sri Lanka. Stalin pointedly questioned the absence of official condemnation from the Indian government regarding the seizure and nationalisation of Indian fishing boats by Sri Lanka, highlighting the lack of substantive action on critical issues affecting Tamil Nadu fishermen. “The unanswered questions and the silence of the Prime Minister, who presents himself as a ‘vishwa guru,’ raise serious concerns,” Stalin concluded.