*Italy’s decision on marine a challenge to India: NFF* · IGNATIUS PEREIRA <http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/ignatius-pereira/>
HTTP://WWW.THEHINDU.COM/TODAYS-PAPER/TP-NATIONAL/TP-KERALA/ITALYS-DECISION-ON-MARINE-A-CHALLENGE-TO-INDIA-NFF/ARTICLE8104817.ECE <http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/italys-decision-on-marine-a-challenge-to-india-nff/article8104817.ece> · *Centre has a responsibility to ensure that the marine returns to India* The Italian government has challenged the people of India through its decision not to send back its marine Massimiliano Lattore to face trial in India on charges of murder for killing two Indian fishermen off the Kollam waters on February 15, 2012, the National Fishermen Forum (NFF) has said. NFF secretary T. Peter told *The Hindu* on Wednesday that the Narendra Modi government had a responsibility to ensure that Lattore, who was accused number one in the case, was brought back to India and made to stand trial. “Italy’s stand is tantamount to insulting the law of our land and the NFF wants India to raise this issue in the United Nations.” Mr. Peter said that the killing of the two fishermen took place at a time when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power at the Centre. At that time, the Bharatiya Janata Party was in the forefront of agitations raising allegations that the Congress, under the influence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was engaged in efforts to ensure that the Italian marines went scot-free. But since coming to power, the Modi government had been extending a soft corner to Italy on this issue, Mr. Peter alleged. He warned that if the Central government had failed to act, the NFF would be compelled to launch agitations. A similar situation had emerged in early 2013 when India allowed both the marines to go to Italy for voting. Mr. Peter recalled that Italy had then also refused to send the marines back. But the then UPA government took a strong stand and ultimately Italy had to bow to Indian pressure and send them back. Kollam MP N.K. Premachandran said that Italy’s stand was a breach of trust that would mar the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Through such a stand, Italy had gone to the extent of insulting Indian judiciary. The BJP which was vociferous about making the marines face the law of the land had taken a volte face on the issue after coming to power, he alleged. Mr. Premachandran wanted the Modi government to move extradition procedures if the need arose. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to greenyouth@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.