The Congress in Tamil Nadu today demanded that the Centre find a permanent solution to the vexed fishermen issue by holding talks with Sri Lanka immediately.
"The Central government should take steps to find a permanent solution to the attacks on Tamil fishermen by holding talks with the authorities of the island nation," Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President, S Thirunavukkarasar told reporters here.
He charged the BJP-led government at the Centre with failing to provide protection to the Tamil fishermen.
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Announcing a grant of Rs one lakh to the Indian fisherman who was shot dead allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, the Congress leader said the Central and state governments must provide a relief of Rs 1 crore to the fisherman's kin.
Reacting to the protest against the proposed hydrocarbon project at Neduvasal, he said the agitation would continue until the Centre withdrew it.
He also urged the government to pass a resolution in the Assembly opposing the project and send the copy of the resolution to the union government, demanding its withdrawal.
On demands for a probe into the death of late J Jayalalithaa, the TNCC president said, "a judicial inquiry either by a Supreme Court or High Court Judge may be conducted immediately".
Replying to a query on the Congress stand on the proposed no-confidence motion against the Assembly Speaker by DMK, he said, "Definitely, we will be with DMK, as it is our allied party".
Later talking to reporters in Coimbatore, Thirunavukarasar
said the DMK-Congress alliance had 'bright chances' of winning the April 12 byelection to R K Nagar assembly constituency.
Replying to a question, he said DMK had contested the seat in the 2016 polls, which was won by late chief minister Jayalalithaa, and a decision (on who would contest it) would be taken after discussing with all alliance parties.
The DMK-led alliance had the winning chance as the ruling AIADMK was a divided house, he said referring to the revolt by O Panneerselvam.
He said the Election Commission should ensure that the voters were not bribed.
To another question, he said there was no possibility of Congress President Sonia Gandhi or Vice-President Rahul Gandhi campaigning for the bypoll, which will be the first electoral test for the AIADMK government post Jayalalithaa's demise.
Thirunavukarasar also said the State Election Commission and the government should take steps to hold the local body elections at the earliest.
