Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin drew the attention of Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to two latest incidents in which fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy and urged him to take immediate diplomatic efforts to prevent such arrests and secure the expeditious release of all fishermen and fishing boats in their custody.
The two incidents, on November 9 and 11, have send shock waves among the people in Tamil Nadu with PMK founder S Ramadoss wondering when the Sri Lankan Navy would stop such violations and Stalin pointing out that the Sri Lankan Navy’s apprehension of Tamil Nadu fishermen in 2024 was the highest in the last seven years.
The increased frequency of arrests not only disrupted their livelihoods but also caused immense distress to their families, Stalin said in a statement.
‘On 09.11.2024, the Sri Lankan Navy took into custody twenty-three fishermen from Rameswaram, two mechanized fishing boats bearing registration numbers IND-TN-10-MM-958 and IND-TN-10-MM-641, and an unregistered boat, he said, adding: ‘Further, on 12.11.2024, another fishing boat (Registration No.IND-TN-06-MM-8478) from Nagapattinam and 12 fishermen were apprehended.’
Ramadoss, in a statement, urged the Union Government to arrange for a meeting of fishermen representatives of both the nations to find an early solution to the imbroglio as it was decided in the joint working group meeting on the issue on November 29.
