Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has called upon External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to take immediate diplomatic action to secure the release of 37 fishermen from the state who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. In his appeal, Stalin also requested the retrieval of the fishermen’s seized boats.In a letter to Dr. Jaishankar, Chief Minister Stalin highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Tamil Nadu’s fishermen due to frequent arrests and intimidation by Sri Lankan authorities. He specifically referenced the incident on June 22, when 22 fishermen from Rameswaram fishing harbour were detained along with their three mechanised fishing boats.
“I request you to ensure the immediate release of the apprehended fishermen and their boats. I would also like to inform you that permission is yet to be granted for the salvage boats and crew to bring back the released boats from Sri Lanka. Similarly, the requests of various fishermen associations in Tamil Nadu to visit the fishermen jailed in Sri Lanka, to provide them with some consolation and certain basic needs, maybe proactively considered,” Stalin wrote.
The Chief Minister emphasized the significant loss of livelihood for the fishermen due to these arrests and urged the External Affairs Minister to take up the matter with Sri Lankan authorities. He reiterated the need to revitalise the Joint Working Group that was established to address such issues and called for a lasting solution.
“I therefore request you to take this up with the Sri Lankan authorities and also to work towards a lasting solution to this issue,” Stalin added.
This letter marks the second communication from the Chief Minister to the External Affairs Minister within the last three days, underlining the urgency and severity of the situation.
The ongoing tensions between Indian and Sri Lankan authorities over fishing rights have led to numerous incidents of arrest and detention, affecting the livelihoods of many fishermen in Tamil Nadu.