The fishing community in Tamil Nadu is taking steps to establish its own political party with the intention of contesting the 2026 Assembly election. Frustrated with the lack of recognition from existing political entities, the community aims to bring attention to their concerns and address issues such as sea-level rise, which poses a long-term threat to their livelihoods.
The initiative plans to target all 14 coastal districts initially, including areas like Edappadi, Erode, and Tiruvallur, where inland fishermen are prominent. The community leaders emphasize the importance of being acknowledged as a formidable force in the political landscape and highlight issues affecting their communities that require urgent attention.
Pamphlets and posters are being circulated to invite people to participate in a brainstorming session in the coming days. Community leaders from all districts are being called together to discuss the formation of the political party. The leaders express frustration over issues such as the denial of land titles to traditional fishermen and the classification of their lands as “seashore poromboke,” leading to encroachments and government takeovers.
While there have been previous attempts to establish political parties for the fishing community, leaders emphasize their commitment to making a genuine impact. They aim to address local problems and showcase the failures of existing political representatives and parties in resolving issues affecting villages. Despite existing parties in the name of the fishing community, the new initiative asserts its determination to grow and garner votes for their cause.
Source: The Hindu