Chennai: Expressing his deep concern over the continuing incidents of arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Lankan Navy, Chief Minister M.K.Stalin today sought the personal intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in securing the release of all the 28 fishermen
and their fishing boats apprehended by the Lankan Navy.
In a Demi-Official letter to Mr Modi, copies of which were released to the media here, Mr Stalin drew the Prime Minister’s immediate attention to yet another incident of apprehension of 12 Tamil Nadu fishermen along with their two mechanised fishing boats by Sri Lankan Navy on March 23.
Mr Stalin said this year alone, so far 28 fishermen and four fishing boats have been apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy.
“It is highly disheartening to note that our fishermen are facing harassment at the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy at an alarming frequency”, he said.
“It continues despite several letters of protest sent by the Tamil Nadu Government highlighting the escalation in the number of such instances of arrests of our fishermen”, he added.
He said the arrests and violent attacks on Indian fishermen take place unabated despite the diplomatic initiatives taken by Government of India.
The repeated attempts by the Sri Lankan Navy to infringe on the historic fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen in the Palk Bay must be permanently ended through concerted efforts by the Government of India, he said.
“I consider that concrete and time bound plan may be drawn up in this regard urgently”, Mr Stalin said, adding, the continuing incidents of incarceration of the fishermen and their boats have created a deep sense of despondency among the fishermen community as fishing is their only means of livelihood.
As of now 104 fishing boats of Tamil Nadu are under the custody ofSri Lanka and five fishing boats which were released by Sri Lanka are yet to be repatriated back to India, he said.
Further, 16 Indian fishermen are already in Sri Lankan prisons, the Chief Minister pointed out.
“Under these circumstances, I urge your personal intervention in this matter and request that the authorities concerned may be directed to take effective steps to secure the release of all the 28 fishermen and their fishing boats that have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy”, he said.
