Rajiv Pratap Rudy welcomes release of Indian fishermen sentenced to death in Sri Lanka

Mumbai: Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Thursday welcomed the release of five Indian fishermen sentenced to death in Sri Lanka for alleged drug trafficking. [caption id=“attachment_1813631” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Rajiv Pratap Rudy welcomed the release of Indian fishermen. AFP[/caption] “This is a big step and will help improve the bilateral ties,” Rudy told reporters in Mumbai. Rudy, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs, attributed the outcome to the “diplomacy of Indian government.” Various parties and sections of society across Tamil Nadu had raised voices after a Sri Lankan court awarded death penalty to the fishermen, hailing from Tamil Nadu, in a drug smuggling case. Rudy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has entrusted him with the skill development ministry and he would focus on training 50 crore youth for employment opportunities during the 13th Plan. This is a steep rise from the 12th Plan target of five crore, he added. “This will be the biggest job generation in world history,” he said. Expressing confidence that BJP will win Delhi Assembly polls due early next year, Rudy said “people all over the country are attracted to the developmental agenda of BJP.” Key legislations to be taken up during the Parliament session beginning November 24 include Coal Ordinance, Pension and GST, he said. There are 68 bills in various stages like drafting, legal scrutiny and some with standing committee, he said. “The PM has also spoken of repealing several redundant old laws,” he said. To a query on Congress questioning SBI’s decision to lend USD one billion to Adani group, Rudy said, “the politics of Congress are out of place. The party is yet to recover from the loss in Lok Sabha elections.” PTI