Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate action to secure the release of six fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka and a total of 68 fishing boats.
"I write again to bring to your notice two more incidents of apprehension of six Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy on January 17 and 19," she said in a letter to Modi.
Terming the incidents a "rude shock," she said the arrests have taken place at a time when Tamil Nadu was eagerly awaiting the return of 104 fishermen whose release was announced by Sri Lanka after months of incarceration.
Though their release has been announced, "It must not be forgotten that 66 fishing boats and gear, which are the basic requirement for fishermen to earn their livelihood, have not been released yet," she said.
Of the total of 68 boats in Sri Lankan custody, two boats belong to fishermen held in the past few days and 66 boats are owned by fishermen arrested previously by Sri Lanka.
On the recent arrests, she said three fishermen in a mechanised boat from Kottaipattinam in Pudukottai District were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy on January 17 and three others in a motorised country craft from Sethubavachatram in Thanjavur District were apprehended on January 19.
"The right to fish in the traditional waters of Palk Bay which has been historically enjoyed by our fishermen in Tamil Nadu is now being continuously denied by the Sri Lankan Navy," she alleged.
"I request that these boats and gear, the only means of livelihood of the fishermen, are restored and returned to our fishermen in a refurbished condition by the Government of India at the earliest," she said.
She requested him to immediately direct officials of External Affairs Ministry to take expeditious action to secure the release of six fishermen along with 68 fishing boats.
