Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has called upon the Central government to promptly engage through diplomatic channels to address the apprehension of fishermen from the state by Sri Lanka. In a letter to Union External Affairs Minister C Jaishankar dated December 14, Stalin expressed his deep concern over the repeated incidents of apprehension, requesting immediate intervention.
Stalin conveyed his “deep sense of anguish” regarding the latest incident on December 13, where six Indian fishermen from Jegathapattinam fishing harbour, Pudukkottai district, were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy along with their fishing boat. Notably, this marks the third such occurrence within a week.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the Sri Lankan Navy’s actions continued to infringe upon the traditional rights of Tamil Nadu’s fishermen. He emphasized that these frequent arrests not only jeopardize the livelihoods of the fishermen but also instill fear and panic in the fishing hamlets.
Stalin underscored the urgency of the situation, revealing that 137 boats and 39 fishermen were still under Sri Lankan custody. He requested the Union External Affairs Minister to promptly take up the matter with the Sri Lankan government through diplomatic channels, urging the immediate release of the 45 fishermen and 138 fishing boats in Sri Lankan authorities’ custody. Source: PTI
