: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to personally intervene and secure the release of seven Indian fishermen from Kottaipattinam in Pudukottai district and their two boats from Sri Lanka. The seven were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday. He reiterated the stand of Government of Tamil Nadu that a permanent solution to the vexatious issue can be found only by restoring India’s sovereignty over Katchatheevu Island.
“It is unfortunate that the apprehension of fishermen of Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy, while pursuing their traditional avocation of fishing, continues unabated despite Indo-Sri Lankan fishermen level talks and the Inter-Ministerial talks being held from time to time,” he said in the letter, a copy of which was circulated to the media here.
He said the right to life and livelihood of Tamil fishermen is being continuously infringed upon by Sri Lankan Navy’s recurrent actions of “apprehension, attack and harassment of innocent fishermen”.
“A firm, clear and an unambiguous message should be sent out by the Government of India to the Sri Lankan side to ensure that this trend is reversed and that the Government of India is firmly committed to protecting the livelihood of the poor and innocent fishermen from Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Panneerselvam said.
Around 109 boats including the two boats seized on Tuesday are yet to be released by the Sri Lankan government. “The Sri Lankan strategy of not releasing the boats of our fishermen is causing great frustration among the fishermen of Tamil Nadu. With their livelihood challenged, these fishermen are in a state of despondency,” he said.
