CHENNAI: Accusing Tamil Nadu government of not properly enumerating fishermen who were missing during Cyclone Ockhi, DMK working president M K Stalin on Tuesday said the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues were giving contradictory versions in this regard.
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar and the Chief secretary initially said 97 fishermen were missing, but CM Edappadi K Palaniswami claimed that 294 fishers were rescued and efforts were on to trace remaining 260. This totalled 554, Stalin told reporters, on his return from Kanniyakumari. Later, Fisheries Minister said 2,124 fishermen were battling for life mid-sea, while the Deputy CM O Panneerselvam claimed that 2,384 people were missing, Stalin said, adding that the CM again said 2,570 were rescued.
“A confusing account is given on missing fishers,” he charged. That apart, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her visit to Kanniyakumari, had said about 1,000 fishermen were missing and alleged that the fishermen were coming out with false numbers, Stalin said. Meanwhile, he wrote a letter to Defence Minister urging her to use her good offices to declare Ockhi as a national calamity.