On a day five more fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for poaching into its waters, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to secure the release of 34 fishermen in Sri Lankan custody.
In her letter to Mr. Modi, which was released to the media, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the latest arrest was a matter of grave concern and recalled that she had been repeatedly emphasising the importance of a strong diplomatic offensive to uphold the rights and interests of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu.
“I request that a calibrated set of actions is immediately initiated to ensure that our fishermen are allowed to pursue their livelihood with freedom in their traditional waters,” she said.
The Sri Lankan “strategy” of not releasing the fishing boats apprehended earlier was affecting the livelihood of the fishermen, the Chief Minister said.
