AK. ANTONY RESIGN IF YOU ENDORSE FISHING BAN IN PALK STRAITS MADE BY COAST GUARD BEFORE MADRAS HIGH COURT Madurai Bench
The New Indian Express dated 17th November 2011 in its front page carried a report from Madurai the title of which was BAN FISHING IN PALK STRAITS : COAST GUARD. Let me quote : Warning of a potential 26/11 type attack by terrorists who could sneak in using seized Indian fishing vessels along the Palk Bay , Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday recommended declaring India-Srilanka International Maritime boundary line a No Fishing Zone.
Making a drastic submission in an additional counter affidavit filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, Inspector General V.S.R.Murthy , Deputy Director General Operations and Coastal Security , Coast Guard said : The Tamilnadu fishermen crossing International Maritime boundary line may be potential target for forces inimical to the country. Such forces may utilize these Indian fishing vessels for terrorist attack similar to Mumbai 26/11.
On October 14, the court hearing a public interest litigation filed by Advocate Stalin seeking protection for Indian fishermen , passed an interim order directing the Coast Guard to deploy sufficient coast vessels under the supervision of senior Indian navy officials. Seeking to vacate the interim order, the Coast Guard officer submitted that no armed force vessels can cross into the territorial waters of another country for protection of their fishermen since it will be construed as intrusion into the sovereignty of that country. It would violate Indo-Lankan Treaties signed in 1974 and 1976.{ Report by M.Vandhana]
I don’t think this affidavit would have the clearance of Defense Minister A.K.Antony. But if it is and if Coast Guard expresses incapacity to save Indian lives, then we will have to write to all Parties in Parliament to demand the resignation of Defense Minister who cannot protect defense-less Indian fishermen.
Indian navy should only move within our territorial waters and should not step into international waters to save our Indian lives; the logical extension of Coast Guard’s policy would only lead to keep our navy confined in our harbours.
China is bolstering its nuclear arsenal at Delingha in the Central Qinghai province of China located not more than 2000 kilometers from Delhi, giving Indian officials sleepless nights, reported Times of India. If these officials have the wisdom of Coast Guard, they could have slept well. Coast Guard is only to guard the coast, and they will sit in beach front and guard the coast, why should they step into seas. Unless their nomenclature is amended in Parliament to rename then as Guards of Coasts, Coastal Peoples, Seas and Wealth of Seas, they won’t bother about Indian fishermen getting killed, attacked, robbed by NAVY of NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY.
There is no terrorist now and the neighboring country had killed lakhs and wiped out terrorism, but then trying to hide this fact Coast Guard expects GHOSTS to come out of graves and seize fishing vessels to launch attack on Indian coast.
The interim order of the Court is justifiable, reasonable and patriotic.
Any Indian Court can only direct Indian Coast Guard to protect Indian civilians. It cannot seek the USA Coast Guard to protect Indian Tamil fishermen. At the height of arrogance and shamelessness Coast Guard suggests BAN FISHING in PALK BAY. Is it a Tamilnadu Government ordinance or Tamilnadu assembly order or has the Government of India passed any ordinance over night or does Indian Cabinet passed orders to the Coast Guard to seek ban on fishing in Palk Straits. Who gave them the authority, who is behind this script, is it written by Home Minister P.Chidambaram, Defense Minister AK.Antony must clarify in Parliament.
A Federation of American Scientists report by Hans Kristiansen and Robert Norris had estimated that China has 240 nuclear warheads. Beijing had added four new ballistic missiles including one that could be launched from submarines , using upgraded 7200 kilometer range DF-31 to target India and Russia.
Since Delhi faces threat will Indian Air Force say following the footsteps of Coast Guard that NO GOVERNMENT ZONE should come in Delhi. All Government of India offices from Rastrapathi to Prime Minister and Parliament should be evacuated from Delhi. If that is going to happen Defense Minister will realize it is the guidelines Coast Guard had laid which is followed by Air Force.
The Union Minister of State under PMO Mr.V.Narayanasamy had recently told in a press conference in Southern districts of Tamilnadu that Indian navy will safeguard the lives of Indian Tamil fishermen. Then who in UPA cabinet bypassing PMO had directed the Coast Guard to file such a foolish affidavit before Madurai Bench of Madras High Court ? Which Ministry is author for such a statement. We cannot protect Indian lives, let them give up fishing, which knowledgeable Ministry chose to advance this un-patriotic argument. Whether Home Minister P.Chidambaram is aware of this or is he a party to such atrocious affidavit.
Fishermen must sue Coast Guard for its failure to protect their lives. The boundary between India-Srilanka must be re-drawn and the issue should go before International Tribunal of the Law of Seas.
In a long drawn process through four conventions covering high seas, territorial seas, continental shelf and living marine resources which began in 1958, United Nations Organization had strived to evolve consensus which ended in U.N.O mooting out International Law of Seas 1982. It was ratified by India in 1995.
As per article76 of the International Law of Seas 1982 " The coastal state shall establish the outer edge of the continental margin wherever the same extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. On the submarine ridges, the continental shelf's outer limit shall not exceed 350 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the sea is measured."
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS PROVISION INDIA SHOULD HAVE GAINED 7 to 9 LAKH SQUARE KILOMETERS.. But in negotiating to extend this exclusive economic zone India got another chance to regain Kachcha Theevu. NDA faltered and missed the chance.
Now UPA must act before people’s ire against it turns into a tornado in Tamilnadu.
1. Reopen the deplorable agreement signed bypassing the Indian Parliament and without consulting the Tamil Nadu Government. An agreement that intensified the plight of Indian fishermen who fall a prey to the bullets of Srilankan navy in view of the ambiguity prevalent in its definition of our territorial water must be scrapped.
2. The so called rights of Indian fishermen were never honoured and the Government of India must place a white paper in Indian Parliament on the merciless shootings and killings of fishermen by Srilankan side violating this agreement.
3. The new boundaries as per International Law of Seas 1982 must be redrawn and India should take care to get back Kachchativu.
4. Without wasting time Indian Government must take this issue to the International Tribunal of the Law of Seas under United Nations for re-demarcating our territorial waters.
N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai
18.11.2011
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