Rahul Gandhi slams Kerala's LDF govt over deep-sea fishing contract; says will form a ministry exclusively for fishing sector

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ventured into the sea off the Kollam coast in south Kerala during the early hours of Wednesday, in a fishing boat along with a group of fishermen.

In a surprise gesture, Rahul, who was camping in Kollam, reached the Vadi beach in Kollam during the early hours of the day and ventured into the sea in one of the fishing boats. He even dived into the sea along with fishermen to pull the net and spent some time in the sea. But with just one fish, the catch during the day was quite scanty.

Rahul later said during an interaction with the fishermen that he had a first-hand feel of the hardships being faced by them and the poor returns they are getting. He asserted that he would stand with the fishermen and try to address their problems. A ministry exclusively for the fishing sector is one of his priorities, he added.

Rahul also attacked the CPM-led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala for the deal with a US firm for deep-sea trawler manufacturing. He also attacked the BJP government at the Centre citing the fuel price hike. He said that the increasing fuel price is also making fishermen’s life more miserable.

Biju, one of the fishermen who accompanied Rahul, told a section of local media that Rahul interacted with the fishermen to know about their living conditions and also had food with them in the boat.

When the fishermen dived into the sea to set the fishing net, he also dived into the sea. "But Rahul was quite upset over the poor catch during the day, which is quite normal during the current season," he said.