UDUPI: Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that the Union government is still looking at all possibilities to know about the status of seven missing fishermen from Malpe.
"The MP from this region Shobha Karandlaje met me when the winter session was going on and briefed me in detail me about the incident. Soon I approached the Chief Minister of Maharashtra- Devendra Fadnavis and he also ordered for a thorough search operation. But that effort did not yield any results. Later I approached the naval officials and told them to visit the families of the seven fishermen in the coastal districts of this state. But, the officials could not come as the airstrike took place in February. However we are still keeping all efforts to trace them intact," she said.
She was interacting with the media persons in Manipal prior to meeting the families of two missing fishermen from Badanidiyoor region near Malpe. Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Union Government is making all efforts to know as to where the seven fishermen have gone missing.
The statement of JDS candidate Pramod Madhwaraj who had alleged that it is a hit and run case by a Naval ship does not seem to be a sensitive one, she further added.
Stating that BJP candidate Shobha Karandlaje has performed well in her stint as the MP of Udupi-Chikkamagalur Lok Sabha constituency, Nirmala Sitharaman said that the very fact of the absence of a Kendriya Vidyalaya earlier in a place like Udupi shocked her.
After NDA came to power, Udupi was also benefited as it got a Kendriya Vidyalaya, Indian an Institute of Gems and Jewellery (IIGJ), Passport Service Centre (at Brahmavara) and Sakhi one-stop centre, she said. ‘
"Shobha has these specific achievements to her credit, so she is seeking re-election this time. Also, schemes like start-up and port development have helped the economy to grow," she said.