Udupi: Janata Dal (S) candidate and former minister of fisheries, Pramodh Madwaraj has made a rather serious allegation against the Indian Navy stating that the navy is responsible for the plight of Suvarna Tribhuja boat and the crew members who are feared dead. He has also demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to treat this issue with all seriousness and initiate a judicial investigation into the matter by a retired Supreme Court Judge.
Pramodh Madwaraj, who spoke to Chief Ministrer HD Kumaraswamy in Sai Radha Health Resort in this regard, later addressed a press conference on Friday, May 3, and said that he has proofs to establish his claim.
“I have the pictures of a damaged INS Kochi vessel. The Navy, which has the responsibility to protect the citizens of this country has killed the fishermen who were on board Suvarna Tribhuja,” he said adding that he had even in the past said that the boat may have collided against the Indian Navy vessel and hence the Navy has to be held responsible for the death of the seven fishermen.
He said that though the fishermen and many others knew that the Navy was responsible for the Suvarna Tribhuja tragedy, the centre hushed up the same owing to the polls.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party is politisizing even the death of the fishermen. I have asked the chief minister to give Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the family of the fishermen who have lost their lives,” he said.
Suvarna Tribhuja went missing along with the crew on Decemer 13 last year has been located after 4 months. The wreckage of the boat was found 33 kms off the coast of Malvan in Maharashtra on Wednesday, May 1. The seven crew members are feared dead.
