Principal opposition party, the DMK, will hold state-wide protest demonstrations demanding rescue of missing Tamil fishermen who were caught in cyclone Ockhi, on Tuesday in sympathy with the thousands of fisherfolk holding demonstrations in different areas of south coastal Tamil Nadu.

DMK working president MK Stalin told media persons that his party had decided to stand behind the fishing community, whose many members have gone missing.

“It is a matter of shame that the government, busy in celebrating MGR centenary and RK Nagar bye elections does not even know the exact number of fishermen who have gone missing,” Stalin said adding that it is really ghastly that the government can show such indifference to the sufferings of its own people.

Stalin demanded that the central and state governments must immediately launch rescue missions to search for the missing fishermen. Their near and dear ones have been left in the lurch and have no idea whom to contact and where to go for information regarding the missing fishermen.

Some fishermen may have landed in Maldives and could be under detention as well. Besides many are reportedly stranded at different ports in India itself.

He urged the central and state governments to start the process immediately, or else the DMK will step up the agitation.