TNCC functionary held for planning to release black balloons against PM Modi during 2-day Tamil Nadu visit

Chennai: A Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) was held on Tuesday morning for planning to stage a black flag protest, by releasing black balloons, against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to the State from Tuesday over the vexatious fishermen issue.

Police sources said TNCC SC Wing President Ranjan Kumar was arrested from his residence in the cityon Tuesday morning for his announcement that black balloons will be released during Mr Modi's visit.

Police said the arrest was made as a preventive measures and he was kept under house custody.

Meanwhile, the Coimbatore Urban District Congress Committee has announced a human chain agitation at Pamban in Ramanathapuram district and its intention to display black flags to the Prime Minister during his visit.

The agitations will be led by Fishermen Congress National President Armstrong Fernando, said a press release from Coimbatore Urban District Congress Committee president K. Karuppusamy.

Mr. Karuppusamy recalled the poll promise of the BJP in 2013, wherein the party had said that a separate Ministry for Fisheries would be set up, and had also promised to put an end to the arrest of T.N. fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

The announcement comes in the wake of a series of protests by fishers of Ramanathapuram district the continual arrests of members of their community by the Sri Lankan Navy, and the recent jail terms that some of them have been sentenced to in the island nation.