Killing of Fishermen: Lukewarm Attitude

Date: 
Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The premeditated killing of an Indian fisherman and injuries to three others due to firing by a US naval ship in the Persian Gulf within UAE waters is a highly condemnable and reprehensible act. It is shocking that the UPA government has not squarely condemned the incident and the External Affairs Minister has merely termed it as “unfortunate”.

 

This lukewarm attitude stems from the fact that India is engaged in military collaboration with the United States and the same US navy which fired on the Indian fishermen is constantly engaged in joint naval exercises with the Indian navy.

The country expects the Indian government to demand that the US naval personnel who committed this act of murder be arrested and put on trial. This is the stand which was taken in the case of the Italian naval personnel who shot and killed two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala.