Rahul vists Kerala, suggests separate ministry at Centre for fishermen

NEW DELHI: Congress presidentelect Rahul Gandhi on Thursday visited places hit by Cyclone Ockhi in southern Kerala that claimed 66 lives, most of them fishermen, and pitched for a better warning system to prevent recurrence of such tragedies.

Addressing families of fishermen who died in the cyclone, Gandhi said state and Central governments need to learn lessons from the natural calamity, which has left 95 fishermen missing. “When a tragedy happens, everyone must learn from the tragedy and avoid such a situation in future. We must have a better system of warning for the fishermen who are going to the sea,” he said, speaking to affected families in the coastal hamlet of Poonthura, near Thiruvananthapuram.

Holding that the condition of fishermen was very similar to that of farmers, Gandhi said, “They are facing difficult times.”

Referring to the demand of the local Latin Catholic church, he said it was time a separate ministry was set up for fishermen at the Centre.

“The farmers have a ministry that looks after their interests and I think it is time that we create a ministry for the fishermen to look after their interests and make sure they are protected,” he said.

Gandhi, who is here after electioneering in Gujarat, said he wanted to come to meet the families earlier. But due to prior programmes in connection with the Gujarat polls, he could not do so and expressed his apology.

“Some of you have lost sons, some of you lost husbands. This loss cannot be replaced...we will try to make your life as comfortable as possible,” he said.

ADDRESSING FAMILIES OF FISHERMEN WHO DIED IN THE CYCLONE, GANDHI SAID STATE AND CENTRAL GOVTS NEED TO LEARN LESSONS FROM THE CALAMITY