Fishermen from villages all over the State took part in a black flag agitation on Monday, protesting against the draft Indian Marine Fisheries Bill, 2021. They said that the Centre was attempting to pass the Bill in Parliament without discussing its provisions with stakeholders or Chief Ministers of the coastal States.
"The Bill, if passed, will only lead to nation-wide protests and blockades of ports. The draft does not have a single word about fishermen welfare," said K. Bharathi of South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association.
Nanjil Ravi of the Akhila Indiya Meenavar Sangam, thanked Member of Parliament from Villupuram D. Ravikumar for having taken steps to protest against the provisions of the draft. He said fishermen leaders were trying to meet the Chief Minister M. K. Stalin urging him to write to the Centre in this regard.
Mr. Ravikumar said that the community rejected the Bill in its present form since it does not seem to have the welfare of fishermen as paramount. It instead aims to portray them as criminals and collect fines from them. "Fishermen have urged Mr. Stalin to take legal and political steps to prevent the passing of the Bill in its current form. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had suggested that a committee of MPs from coastal districts be formed and that they must meet once in three months to discuss issues pertaining to fishermen welfare. I too second that," he said.
