Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday over the plight of 63 fishermen, who are stranded in Saudi Arabia, and urged him to ensure their return to India.
These fishermen, who went for employment on contract with a private company in 2013, had claimed that the company had not been paying them as per the terms of employment and they were struggling to make ends meet. They also said their passports were in the custody of their employers.
“I request you to immediately intervene in the matter and direct the Indian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to take up the issue at the highest level with the authorities in Saudi Arabia and ensure the immediate repatriation of these poor innocent fishermen ,” Ms. Jayalalithaa wrote to Mr. Modi.
She further urged the Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia to ensure that these fishermen received their wages rightfully due to them as per the contract. The 63 Indian fishermen include 46 from Ramanathapuram, seven from Nagapattinam, five from Cuddalore, two each from Kanyakumari and Thanjavur districts and one from Kerala.
