Ahmedabad: In a memorandum to BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra
Modi, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on Thursday demanded that
the party's manifesto include how issues related to fishermen would be
addressed.
The memorandum demanded that the BJP should include in its manifesto a policy of not arresting Pakistani fishermen, which would in turn lead to no arrest of Indian fishermen by that country.
Pondicherry-based NGO called National Fisherworkers' Forum (NFF) and a Delhi-based NGO called 'Pakistan-India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy' (PIPFPD) sent their memoranda to BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today through registered post.
"We demand incorporation of the fishing community's demands in your party's manifesto or else the community will boycott the next general elections," the NFF's M Ilango said.
Gujarat has the longest sea coast (1,600 km) in the entire country with lakhs of fishermen voters.
The NGO groups which made a memoranda of demands under a joint forum, requested reddressal of long-pending issues of the fishing community.
The memorandum demanded that the BJP should include in its manifesto a policy of not arresting Pakistani fishermen, which would in turn lead to no arrest of Indian fishermen by that country.
Pondicherry-based NGO called National Fisherworkers' Forum (NFF) and a Delhi-based NGO called 'Pakistan-India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy' (PIPFPD) sent their memoranda to BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today through registered post.
"We demand incorporation of the fishing community's demands in your party's manifesto or else the community will boycott the next general elections," the NFF's M Ilango said.
Gujarat has the longest sea coast (1,600 km) in the entire country with lakhs of fishermen voters.
The NGO groups which made a memoranda of demands under a joint forum, requested reddressal of long-pending issues of the fishing community.
Fishermens' fora in Pakistan and India have also demanded implementation of a 'no arrest policy' under an agreement signed by both governments during the 1999 Lahore summit.
"We demand declaration of a 'no arrest policy' for Pakistani fishermen and boats, so that there is prompt reciprocal action by the Pakistan government on this issue," the joint NGO forum said.
"There are 232 Indian fishermen in Pakistani jails and 139 Pakistani fishermen in Indian prisons. They should be released immediately," Jatin Desai of the PIPFPD said.
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