Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 20: Fishermen from Kerala staged a sit in protest outside raj Bhavan here today demanding the arrest of the Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini who has been barred from leaving India in the latest escalation in the dispute over the killing of two Indian fishermen by Italian marines.
The large crowd of fishermen urged the Centre to take stringent action in the Italian marines case, with the chairman of Fishermen Coordination Committee, V. Dinakaran demanding that the Italian ambassador be arrested for "misleading the Indian government."
“We demand the arrest of the Italian ambassador who presented an affidavit before the Supreme Court to get bail for these Italian marines to go to their country. He is the culprit now in India. He is present in India,” said Dinakaran.
India had summoned the Italian ambassador last week to protest against Rome's decision not to send the two marines charged with killing the fishermen while on anti-piracy duty back to India to face trial.
The apex court has ordered ambassador Daniele Mancini not to leave India and has asked the Centre to ensure that he does not leave the country.
The two sailors, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, part of a military security team protecting the tanker Enrica Lexie from pirates, were accused of shooting the two fishermen after mistaking them for pirates off the Kerala coast in February last year.
The Convenor of Kerala Fisheries Coordination Committee (KFCC), V V Saseendran threatened to intensify their agitation if Italy refuses to send back its marines.
“All the trade unions have come together to fight against Italian attitude. Today we have begun the agitation. It will not stop. Our fight will continue till the Italian marines return” said Saseendran.
The Supreme Court had allowed Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone to return home for four weeks to vote in last month's general election, but they have refused to return.
