Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister Venkatrao Nadagouda had to face the ire of fishermen and fisherwomen when he came to visit the families of the two missing fishermen at Badanidiyur here on Wednesday.
Some fishermen questioned Mr. Nadagouda when he visited the house of the missing fisherman Damodar Salian, why he had not visited them earlier. Mr. Nadagouda explained that Home Minister M.B. Patil and Women and Child Welfare Minister Jaimala, who was also the Udupi district in-charge Minister, had visited their houses. The matter of search operations came under the Home Department. But he was coordinating the matters relating to the search operations, he said.
But this did not pacify the angry fishermen who said that as Fisheries Minister he should have visited the families of the missing fishermen earlier. But he had come after 24 days of the incident, they said. Mr. Nadagouda explained to them that he had visited the families of the five missing fishermen in Uttara Kannada district. He had brought the plight of fishermen to the notice of the Chief Minister who had, in turn, announced relief. Some fishermen got angry at this and said that they did not want relief but the missing fishermen back. Mr. Nadagouda explained to them that he still thought that the fishermen from the missing boat could be traced. “We are hoping and praying that they are traced and returned to their families,” he said.
Just as he was leaving Damodar Salian’s house, a group of fisherwomen came there and demanded why he did not visit the families earlier. Mr. Nadagouda again explained to them the steps taken by the State and Union governments.
But some fisherwomen were not satisfied with this and said that the government had different yardstick for dealing with issues relating to farmers and those of the fishermen.