CM M K Stalin Demands Release of 251 Boats, 73 Fishermen
These repeated apprehensions had led to immense hardship.
Chennai: Demanding the release of the 73 fishermen and 251 boats in the custody of Sri Lankan authorities, Chief Minister M K Stalin drew the urgent attention of Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to a disturbing incident that has occurred at the beginning of the New Year, underscoring the continuing plight of Tamil Nadu fishermen.
Stalin, in his letter to Jaishankar on Saturday, said two fishing boats from Mayiladuthurai, bearing registration numbers IND-TN-16-MO-519 and IND-TN-16-MO-2070, along with nine fishermen who had ventured out from Kodiyakarai Fishing Village, Nagapattinam District, were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on the night of January 2 while they were engaged in fishing.
It was a matter of grave concern that the incidents of arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen and seizure of their fishing boats by Sri Lankan authorities continued unabated, he said and added that as of now, a total of 251 fishing boats belonging to Tamil Nadu and 73 fishermen, including those apprehended in this latest incident, remained under Sri Lankan custody.
These repeated apprehensions had led to immense hardship, anxiety and distress among the coastal fishing communities of Tamil Nadu, Stalin said and earnestly urged the Union Government to urgently take it up through appropriate diplomatic channels to prevent further apprehensions and to secure the immediate release of all detained fishermen along with their fishing boats.
