Two days after an Indian fisherman was killed in firing by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency near Gujarat coast, former Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhwadia has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue at an international forum, if necessary.
Thirty-two-year-old Shridhar Chamre of Thane in Maharashtra was killed in firing on Saturday.
According to Modhwadia, Saturday’s firing was the third such incident after Modi-led government came to power at the Centre.
The Congress leader claimed that there are around 600 fishermen, majority of them from Gujarat, languishing in Pakistan jails. Nearly 1,200 boats have been seized by the neighbouring country, he said.
Mentioning that this is a burning issue in Gujarat, Modhwadia urged the prime minister to bring an early solution. If Pakistan does not agree, the issue needs to be raised at an international forum and pressure be exerted on that country.
He alleged that the central government was not doing anything to get these fishermen released.
The Congress leader insisted that a conducive environment be provided to ensure that fishermen do not face harassment when they go out for fishing.
He also demanded that the fishermen, whose boats have been seized by Pakistan, be given a package to make new boats, like it was done under the UPA government.
