[Reader-list] Protest against Centre's decision

[T Peter]

Protest against Centre's decision
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/protest-against-centres-decision/article5724692.ece

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

 All India secretary of the National Fishworkers Forum T. Peter has
protested against the Central government's submission before the Supreme
Court on Monday that the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian
fishermen off the Kerala waters in February 2012 will not be prosecuted
under the provisions of SUA, which attracts death penalty.

In a statement, Mr. Peter alleged that the Central government move smacked
of a conspiracy to enable the marines go scot free in the case.

*Government's weakness*

By omitting the SUA provisions against the marines, the Central government
had kowtowed before the Italian government, he said.

While Italy succeeded in influencing the European Union and the United
Nations on the issue, the inability of the Indian government to exert any
influence at the international level exposed the weakness of Indian
administrators. Through the decision, the Central government had challenged
the country's fishing community, he said.

He said the repercussion of the decision would be felt at all fishing
community areas during the coming Lok Sabha elections.

P.K. Gurudasan, MLA, said the Central government had betrayed the fishing
community through the decision.

*Review petition*

Mr. Gurudasan said his submission in the Assembly that the State should
file a review petition when the Supreme Court gave the verdict that the
Kerala Police had no jurisdiction over the case was ignored.

He said he made the submission on the grounds that the alleged killing had
taken place in the continental shelf. He called upon the government to
intervene in the matter.