In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Rajya Sabha MP expressed dissatisfaction over the External Affairs Ministry's steps in the matter and urged swift action.
"The families of 19 Indian sailors, who have been held captive by Somali pirates off the Gulf of Aden, between Yemen and Somalia, on UAE-owned MT Royal Grace, were protesting here since last week against the Government's inability to free their relatives from the captivity of the pirates."
"There are reports that the pirates have given a deadline that will end on November 30," the letter said.
The External Affairs Ministry's attitude has not been satisfactory in this regard, he alleged.
Expressing concern over frequent cases of sailors being held hostage, he has sought a permanent solution to curb such instances.
"There are hundreds of sailors were kidnapped for ransom, and many of them are still in there custody. There should be a permanent solution for this issue," he said .
He also demanded that the government should make all possible efforts to raise the issue in the international forums.
