Rahul interacts with fishermen in Kerala ventures into sea

Kollam(Ker), Feb 24 (PTI) Seeking to reach out to the
fishing community in poll-bound Kerala, Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi on Wednesday interacted with the fishermen at
Thangassery beach in the district.
Gandhi, who had been touring the state for the last two
days, also ventured into sea with the fisherfolks in their
boat.
After beginning his journey from Vadi beach here by 4.30
am, he spent nearly an hour with them before reaching the
venue of interaction.
He also cast the net and engaged in fishing along with
them.
Clad in blue t-shirt and khaki trousers, the Congress
leader could be seen waving hands to the onlookers from the
boat while reaching back to the shores.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and T N Prathapan M
P, also chairman of National Fishermen Congress, also
accompanied him during his sea journey.
During the interaction, Gandhi said he always wanted to
experience the life of fishermen.
"Early this morning, I went to sea with my brothers. From
the moment the boat went and came back, they took the entire
risk... their entire labour. They sought to the sea, buy the
net and somebody else gets the profit," Gandhi said.
"We tried to fish but got only one. Even with this
investment, the net came back empty. This was my experience,"
he added.
Gandhi further said he would strive to have a separate
ministry for fisheries at the Centre.
"So that the issues of fishing community can be defended
and protected," he said adding that the UDF leaders in the
state would soon hold discussions with the fisherfolk to
prepare a separate manifesto for them during the impending
assembly polls.
Taking a dig at the LDF government apparently over the
ongoing controversy related to the alleged deep sea fishing
contract, the Congress leader said he would like to see what
they were going to do with the trawlers.
"I am for competition...but not for unfair competition.
So, there should be a level playing filed for everyone," he
added.
Gandhi's interaction with the fishermen assumes
significance as the Congress-led UDF has raised allegations
against the Left government in the state over an alleged deep
sea fishing contract with a US-based company.
In the wake of the controversy, Chief Minister Pinarayi
Vijayan had directed the officials concerned to cancel the MoU
between EMCC, the US-based firm and Kerala State Inland
Navigation Corporation (KSINC), a public sector undertaking
and probe the circumstances under which it was signed. PTI LGK
RRT
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)