RAMANATHAPURAM: Condemning the continuous arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, fishermen associations along with the DMK staged a massive protest in Rameswaram on Sunday. Ramanathapuram MP K Navas Kani, Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, fishermen leaders, MLAs, among others participated in the protest.
Fishermen association leaders said that as many as 66 fishermen hailing from Mandapam and Rameswaram have been arrested by the SL Navy so far in 2025, and around eight Indian fishing boats confiscated. Asserting that the continuous arrests significantly affected their livelihoods, thousands of fishermen from Ramanathapuram and other areas took part in the protest, and urged the union government to take action towards ensuring the release of the arrested fishers and all their boats.
Addressing the gathering, Kanimozhi said, the DMK government has been standing firmly with the fishermen during this hard time. Though Chief Minister M K Stalin has written to the prime minister and the external affairs minister seeking to resolve the prolonged fishermen issues with the island nation, the BJP-led government has failed to act, leaving the fishermen in the lurch.”
Highlighting similar fishermen issues which have been resolved in other countries, Kanimozhi questioned why the centre has not yet found a solution for the issues. The DMK will continue to raise these issues until the union government steps in to resolve it, she said. Kanimozhi also spoke on the schemes initiated by the state government for fishermen’s welfare.