CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Saturday, expressing ‘grave concern’ over the arrest of 11 Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy in the wee hours of Saturday.
The fishermen were apprehended while fishing Southeast of Kodikkarai in Nagapattinam district and their mechanised fishing boat was also confiscated. In his letter, Stalin said that a total of 324 Indian fishermen have been arrested, and 44 fishing boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy so far this year. The Chief Minister urged the Union Minister to take swift diplomatic measures to ensure the immediate release of the fishermen and their boats.
Stalin said that The fishing community in Tamil Nadu continues to face immense hardships due to the recurrent arrests, which severely affect their means of subsistence. He further added that in the past two weeks, there have been a couple of instances of attacks on fishermen at sea by unidentified persons from Sri Lanka and he urged that this issue needs to be addressed immediately.
The PMK and CPI have also condemned the arrests.