Centre, Tamil Nadu failed to protect fishermen: Modi

KANYAKUMARI/RAMANATHAPURAM: A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that UPA had done a lot for the welfare of fishermen in Tamil Nadu at a meeting in Kanyakumari, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi chose the same spot to hit back at the Congress alleging that the party stood a silent spectator as TN fishermen were killed.
Addressing a public meeting on Thursday at Kumaran Kundram, exactly where Sonia had addressed a rally a day before, Modi did not spare chief minister J Jayalalithaa also.Though he did not name Jayalalithaa, Modi said that the Tamil Nadu government has also failed to protect the interests of fishermen. "Madam blames Amma. Amma blames Madam," he said referring to Sonia Gandhi and Jayalalithaa. "New Delhi sleeps while TN fishermen are being killed. A strong government is needed at the Centre to protect the life and livelihood of fishermen," Modi said. He also urged to the need to use technology for developing the fishing industry.
Besides wooing fishermen, Modi also attempted to woo youth as he spent much of the speech dwelling in prevailing unemployment, promises to generate more employment and empowering youth. "If a weak government is formed at the Centre, just like the one at present, you will not only lose five years but the entire life," he told the youth.
In spite of abundant resources, the youth of the region have to look jobs elsewhere, he said and promised that a BJP government will ensure jobs for the youth.
At Ramanathapuram too, Modi dwelt on protecting the life and livelihood of fishermen and developing tourism potential in Rameswaram.
He compared Tamil Nadu fishermen with Gujarat fishermen since they have to face the wrath of Pakistan Navy while the former has to face the Sri Lankan navy in sea. The 'weak government at the Centre' failed to protect the fishermen in the country, he charged. With advance scientific development, fishermen at Gujarat are informed about the possible fish catch in particular nautical miles and utilising the information, they fish in the specific spot and return to the shore within two hours. The BJP government elected at the Centre would expand such facility across the country and he would take efforts in harnessing scientific development for the protection and welfare of the fisher folk, he said.
Coming down heavily on the DMK and AIADMK, Modi said that there is an alternate power evolving within the BJP coalition. People did not have choices other than the DMK and AIADMK and after being elected one after the other, they were busy damaging each other than concentrating on public welfare and growth of the state, he charged. The 'wave' witnessed when the elections were announced has turned into a tsunami and the corrupt governments cannot escape it. Tamil Nadu will see a history in this election as the BJP coalition would emerge stronger as an alternative for the DMK and AIADMK, he said.
He also hit out at Rahul Gandhi stating that there is a 'prince' born with a silver spoon contesting the election and the true fight is between this prince and a son born of a poor woman who was selling tea in railway coaches. "They will not know poverty because it is like tourist attraction for them but I was born poor and experienced poverty and my lifetime mission is to eradicate it," he stated. We are confident of winning the elections in Tamil Nadu with the powerful coalition, he added. Followed by the public meetings, he introduced the BJP coalition candidates in both places and urged people to vote for them.