Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday urged the Prime Minister to initiate steps to bring back Massilmiiano Lattorre to India to face the trial in connection with the shooting down of two fishermen off Kerala coast in February 2012.
The chief minister was reacting to media reports that the Italian marine would not return to India according to the Head of Italian Senate's defence committee.
There were reports that the Italian marine would not return to India according to the Head of Italian Senate's defence committee. The chief minister said that the move was totally unacceptable to the state and it would do whatever was possible to bring back the Marine to India.
Mr Chandy said when the incident took place, there was huge pressure from the Italian government and different diplomatic channels to shift the case outside India. However, the state government took a firm stand on the issue which was later vindicated by the High Court and Supreme Court verdicts on the issue. Mr Chandy said that the government would not interfere with the conventions at Sabarimala shrine just as it does not interfere with Christian and Muslim places of worship.
Replying to the Supreme Court's query whether devaswom had constitutional right to prevent women's entry at Sabarimala Shrine, the chief minister said the devaswom system which governed Hindu temples started during monarchy. The Government has so far interfered only in the administrative affairs of Devaswom Boards.
"Why should we interfere in the functioning of Hindu religious places when the same is not being done with Christian and Muslim places of worship?”
