[Reader-list] Italy’s decision on marine a challenge to India: NFF

[T Peter]

*Italy’s decision on marine a challenge to India: NFF*

·         IGNATIUS PEREIRA
<http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/ignatius-pereira/>



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*Centre has a responsibility to ensure that the marine returns to India*

The Italian government has challenged the people of India through its
decision not to send back its marine Massimiliano Lattore to face trial in
India on charges of murder for killing two Indian fishermen off the Kollam
waters on February 15, 2012, the National Fishermen Forum (NFF) has said.

NFF secretary T. Peter told *The Hindu* on Wednesday that the Narendra Modi
government had a responsibility to ensure that Lattore, who was accused
number one in the case, was brought back to India and made to stand trial.
“Italy’s stand is tantamount to insulting the law of our land and the NFF
wants India to raise this issue in the United Nations.” Mr. Peter said that
the killing of the two fishermen took place at a time when the Congress-led
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power at the Centre.

At that time, the Bharatiya Janata Party was in the forefront of agitations
raising allegations that the Congress, under the influence of Congress
president Sonia Gandhi, was engaged in efforts to ensure that the Italian
marines went scot-free. But since coming to power, the Modi government had
been extending a soft corner to Italy on this issue, Mr. Peter alleged. He
warned that if the Central government had failed to act, the NFF would be
compelled to launch agitations. A similar situation had emerged in early
2013 when India allowed both the marines to go to Italy for voting. Mr.
Peter recalled that Italy had then also refused to send the marines back.
But the then UPA government took a strong stand and ultimately Italy had to
bow to Indian pressure and send them back.

Kollam MP N.K. Premachandran said that Italy’s stand was a breach of trust
that would mar the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Through
such a stand, Italy had gone to the extent of insulting Indian judiciary.
The BJP which was vociferous about making the marines face the law of the
land had taken a volte face on the issue after coming to power, he alleged.
Mr. Premachandran wanted the Modi government to move extradition procedures
if the need arose.