RAMANATHAPURAM: Ramanathapuram gears for a three-cornered fight in both Lok Sabha and Assembly by-elections, fishermen conflict, farmer distress and negligible industrial development remain the critical factors that need special focus.
Ramanathapuram parliamentary constituency comprises six Assembly segments – Paramakudi, Thiruvadanai, Ramanathapuram, Mudukulathur, Aranthangi (Pudukottai district) and Thiruchuli (Virudhunagar district). Of these, Paramakudi Assembly constituency (SC) is to face a by-election as well.
While a majority of the people in Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency predominantly belong to Mukkulathor community which is collectively known as Thevar community (comprising Agamudaiyar, Kallar and Maravar), this constituency also encompasses about 14 per cent of the total Muslim population in the State.
The constituency which was once the stronghold of Congress for about 12 years (1984-96), later became an AIADMK bastion for 11 years (1998-2004, 2014-19) with the incumbent MP A Anwhar Raajhaa belonging to AIADMK.
This time, the constituency has in fray candidates who are either new to elections or to the constituency itself. Ramanathapuram constituency has been handed over to the allies of the two Dravidian parties, to Indian Union Muslim League (K Navas Kani) which contests here after 28 years and to BJP (Nainar Nagenthran). This decision did spark internal friction and bitterness among both DMK and AIADMK functionaries.
On the other hand, AMMK has fielded VDN Anandh, son of a former AIADMK Labour minister V D Natarajan who rallies under the ‘son of the soil’ tag. Ending speculations that Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan might contest in his native constituency, he fielded a fresh face – Salem-based businessman J Vijaya Baskar.
While Navas Kani, a Chennai-based businessmen who has his roots in the district, banks on the votes of the minorities, a former AIADMK minister Nainar Nagenthran, a two-time MLA from Tirunelveli district, hopes to polarise the votes of Mukkulathor community. Meanwhile, Anandh is expected to split the votes of Mukkulathor community, reducing the chances of AIADMK-BJP alliance from gaining a majority.
In this constituency, deep-rooted problems faced by farmers, fishermen, coupled with acute water crisis and unemployment cry for attention for several years now, voters feel. Home to about 1,500 mechanised boats which sustain about eight lakh fishermen (directly and indirectly) and 10,000 country boats which feed about three lakh fishermen, the constituency is riddled with perennial fishermen conflict.
The president of All Mechanised Boats Association B Jesuraja said, “Even the meagre subsidies received by the fishers are given only by the State. But, in case of arrests and attacks by Sri Lankan forces, the Centre’s help is required through the Ministry of External Affairs. Before the 2014 polls, BJP promised creation of a Ministry for Fisheries and protection of fishermen from attacks by Sri Lankan navy. These two poll promises gave greater hopes, but in vain.”
A significant step to solve the fishermen crisis would be the creation of Ministry of Fisheries, fishers feel. Jesuraja further urged that diesel should be brought under GST as it accounts for a major portion of their daily expenses (approximately RS 50,000 a day per boat).
Meanwhile, president of district Country Boat Fishermen Welfare Association SP Rayappan said, “Earlier during Congress rule, seized boats as well as fishers arrested by Sri Lanka were rescued by the Centre. But now, only the fishers are released while the boats remain under the custody of Sri Lankan government. This has deeply affected the livelihood of thousands of fishermen.”
The other issue in this region where paddy is the staple crop engaging about 1.10 lakh farmers and covering three lakh acres, is the non-settlement of crop insurance claims. The district president of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association M Muthuramu said, “For the first time ever, the district faced drought for three consecutive years since 2016. Of the 417 revenue villages in the district, 217 did not receive crop insurance for 2017-18.”
Putting forth their expectations, farmers in this constituency seek timely disbursal of crop insurance, farm loan waiver, desilting of over 1,000 irrigation tanks by the government, without involving private parties and implementation of Cauvery-Vaigai-Guntar interlinking project.
The arid constituency looks up to the revival of Cauvery Integrated Drinking Water Project (CIDWP) that was introduced by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. Residents say that the project that supplies drinking water to the district suffered from poor maintenance.