PM urged to take steps to secure release of fishermen

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, Jayalalithaa said this latest apprehension of innocent and unarmed Tamil Nadu fishermen was done with a motive to intimidate and prevent them from venturing into their traditional fishing waters in the Palk Bay and in the vicinity of Katchatheevu.

Pointing out that 26 fishing boats belonging to TN fishermen were in Sri Lankan custody, she said the Sri Lankan Navy deliberately does not release boats and fishing gear which are essential for the poor fishermen to earn their livelihood.

“Long periods of disuse condemns the boats and equipment to ruin and the poor fishermen are subjected to a huge permanent loss,” Jayalalithaa added.

“I would like to once again point out that the Government of India should not treat the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) with Sri Lanka as a settled question as the constitutionality of the 1974 and 1976 agreements has been challenged on extremely valid and legal grounds in the Supreme Court of India,” she said in the letter, also recalling her Writ Petition on the same in Supreme Court.

Jayalalithaa stressed that Tamil Nadu’s stand was that Katchatheevu had always been a part of India, geographically, culturally and historically and needed to be retrieved, keeping in view the livelihood interests and security of lakhs of Indian fishermen.

“I am confident that your government will find suitable mechanisms to resolve this long-pending fishing dispute between India and Sri Lanka by retrieving Katchatheevu and restoring the traditional fishing rights of our fishermen. In the meantime, the immediate issue of the arrest of the fishermen needs to be addressed,” she said.