Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday requested the Centre to take effective diplomatic measures to secure the immediate release of the state fishermen apprehended by the Sri Lankan authorities.Also, he sought the central government to convene the Joint Working Group meeting to find a permanent diplomatic solution to the fishermen issue.
In a letter addressed to Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the CM drew the Centre’s attention to yet another incident of apprehension of 10 fishermen along with their fishing vessels by the Lankan Navy on February 19.
“The number of apprehensions of fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan navy has rapidly risen in the past few months and immediate and continued diplomatic act ion has to be taken to stop these apprehensions as the livelihood of the fishermen and their families are affected for long period,” the Chief Minister said in the letter.