Vadodara: Gujarat Fishermen Association (GFA) has sought intervention of the Prime Minister in getting compensation to kin of the four fishermen who were on-board on boat ‘MV Kuber’ which was hijacked by the terrorists of the 26/11 attacks to sneak into Mumbai. Vice president of GFA Veljibhai Masani said they have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to take up the matter with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in conceding their demand of giving Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families of the four fishermen who were onboard the ill-fated vessel along with its captain Amar Singh Solanki.
“We have requested the Prime Minister to take up the matter after the Maharashtra government, which has failed to concede our demand that we have been raising soon after the terror strike in 2008,” Masani told PTI.
He said if the Maharashtra government can show a humanitarian gesture by helping the family of Solanki, why can’t it extend an aid to the four fishermen — Ramesh Nagji Bamaniya from Junagad, Balwant Prabhu, Mukesh Rathod and Natu Nanu, who hailed from Navsari district in Gujarat.
The body of Solanki was recovered but the four fishermen are still “missing” as per the government records. According to Masani, family members of the fishermen are struggling to meet the ends and the last seven years have been a difficult time for them with no financial aid.
“Seven years have passed and it should be believed that they (the fishermen) are dead. Maharashtra government should issue death certificate to the families. “I fail to understand the attitude of the (Maharashtra) government when they have given compensation to kin of all 26/11 victims, including foreigners, why can’t it give to families of these fishermen?”he asked.
He said they have made several requests to the government of Maharashtra in the past but in vain. November 26, 2015, marks the 7th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that had claimed 166 lives and left over 250 injured, bringing country’s financial capital to knees in one of its worst terror attacks.
The 10 Pakistani terrorists had hijacked MV Kuber, a fishing trawler, off Jhakau coast in Gujarat to reach Mumbai for carrying out the strike.
