As many as 14 Tamil Nadu fishermen were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly trespassing into the territorial waters of Sri Lanka.According to a report, the fishermen were apprehended while fishing in the northern Mannar coastal waters of Sri Lanka. Along with the arrests, the Sri Lankan Navy also seized two fishing boats belonging to the fishermen.
Meanwhile, DMK members on Friday raised slogans in the Lok Sabha and held a protest in the Parliament complex with other opposition MPs over the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy, seeking the Centre’s intervention.
They sought a permanent solution to the issue.
Several DMK members raised slogans in the Lok Sabha soon after Question Hour to register their protest.
After the Chair allowed her to speak on the matter, party MP Kanimozhi claimed fishermen from the state are being harassed and arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities and more than 97 of them are lodged in jails of the neighbouring country.
She claimed that the fishermen are shot at and tortured, and over 210 fishing boats have been seized by Sri Lanka, impacting their livelihood.
Led by the DMK, MPs from Congress and Left parties from Tamil Nadu held a protest in the Parliament complex.
Holding placards reading “Justice For Tamil Fishermen”, “Bring Back Our Fishermen”, “No More Arrests” and “Tamil Nadu Fishermen Are Indians”, the MPs demanded that the government find a permanent solution to the issue.
TMC’s Derek O’Brien and CPI(ML) Liberation’s Sudama Prasad were also part of the protest.