Rahul Gandhi meets Kerala fishermen, promises separate fisheries ministry

Visiting the floodravaged areas of Kerala Congress president Rahul Gandhi today saluted fishermen who played a key role in rescuing those marooned in the delugeClaiming that the fishermen community in the country was facing a crisis similar to that by the farmers he said if the Congress comes to power at the Centre a separate fisheries ministry would be set up Arriving in Kerala on a twoday visit Gandhi spoke to people at relief camps days after the deadliest deluge in the last 100 years left a trail of destruction and death in the stateAt a reception hosted by the Congress in the worsthit Alapuzha to honour the fishermen community Gandhi said the Coast Guard should make use of the services of fishermen for rescue operations in the future I am proud to say that through all your difficulties through all your hardships whenever Kerala needed you you stood up and gave your best I salute your commitment to the people of Kerala the Congress president said Three thousand fishermen had saved 70000 lives in the recent floods he saidAlleging that the fishermen community in the country was facing a crisis similar to that by the farmers Gandhi said The moment the Congress comes to power at the Centre we are going to set up a ministry of fisheries Gods own army will have its own ministry So your problems can be looked after and your words can be heard at the national level he said adding I do not want to make fake promises This is a word of the Congress presidentAlong with farmers fishermen have also helped build the country Gandhi said and asserted that it was an honour for him to felicitate the fishermen who had saved several lives Recalled his last visit to the state in the aftermath of Cyclone Ockhi he said I came and visited your houses and I must say looking back I am not happy for the help you had received for the damage suffered in the cyclone Earlier Gandhi who arrived in Thiruvananthapuram this morning from the UK visited relief camps in Chengannur and Alapuzha and spoke to the affected peopleHe is scheduled to visit some camps in Ernakulam district later in the day and tour Wayanad and Kozhikode districts tomorrow Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted President of INCIndia RahulGandhi left Thiruvananthapuram this morning for floodaffected areas in central Kerala His twoday visit will cover districts with the heaviest inundation over the last two weeks sicIn Chengannur the Congress chief visited relief camps at two colleges and interacted with the people sheltered there Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala and Congress state unit president M M Hassan were among those who accompanied Gandhi Congress President RahulGandhi meets the flood affected at the Relief Camp at the Engineering College in Chengannur Kerala RebuildingKerala sic the party tweeted attaching photos of Gandhi meeting people at the campsAccording to data released this morning by the Disaster Managements state control room 474 people have died in the rains and floods since May 29 when the southwest monsoon set in over KeralaAlso Read Congress President Rahul Gandhi To Visit FloodHit Kerala For Two Days From TomorrowCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever