Fishermen from the coastal areas of the district and family members of 46 fishermen, who went to Saudi Arabia on contract fishing and got stranded there, staged a demonstration here on Tuesday, protesting against the ‘inaction’ of the External Affairs Ministry in securing their return.
Family members of fishermen, hailing from fishing hamlets of Thirupalaikudi, Morepannai, Mullimunai, Karangadu and Valinokkam staged the demonstration after taking out a protest rally, urging the Centre to take urgent steps to facilitate the return of the fishermen.
M. Karunamurthy, district secretary of CITU-affiliated Tamil Nadu Meenpidi Thozhirsanga Koottamaippu, who led the agitation, said 63 fishermen, including 46 from the district, were at the crossroads as their employer had not provided them work for the last two months and failed to clear six months’ pay arrears.
The employer, who was withholding the passports of the fishermen, prevented them from returning home, he said.
The families of the fishermen, who were anxious about their safety, struggled to make both ends meet in the absence of any financial assistance from the government, he also said.
Despite repeated pleas, the External Affairs Ministry and the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia maintained a stoic silence. As the families suffered a lot, the Election Commission must allow the State government to pay compensation to the families, he said.
The stranded fishermen were at the mercy of their friends and those who had gone to Saudi Arabia from Tamil Nadu to meet their daily needs, S. Sandhiyagu, a fisherman from Karangadu who is employed there, said.
The employer of the fishermen who owned 18 boats was no more interested in fishing and would not settle their accounts or allow them to leave for India, he told The Hindu over phone from Al Jubail in Saudi Arabia.
They revolted against the employer two months ago after he failed to clear the salary arrears, after which he denied them work and also refused to return the passports, he added.
