CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday wrote a letter to Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, requesting to secure the release of the detained Tamil Nadu fishermen and their fishing boats.
“I want to bring to your attention a matter of grave concern that has been affecting the lives and livelihood of Indian fishermen. It pertains to the arrest of 27 Indian fishermen in two separate instances and the seizure of four fishing boats,” said the CM in the letter to the Union Minister.
The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 23 fishermen from Rameshwaram and seized four boats for allegedly crossing the international maritime border line (IMBL). In yet another incident, the Navy of the island nation apprehended four fishermen and confiscated a mechanised boat, said the CM and flagged that the “repeated instances of arrest and seizure have struck fear” among the fishing communities along “our coastline”.
“The livelihood of these fishermen, who are often the sole breadwinners for their families, are at stake. The economic implications of these recurrent arrests are profound, as they lead to not only the loss of income for the fishermen and their families but also jeopardise the food security of countless individuals who depend on their catch,” he further said and requested the Union Minister to take immediate diplomatic steps with the Sri Lankan government to secure the release of the detained fishermen and their boats.