Chief Minister: Fishermen arrest spoils festive mood

Chennai

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said that their “continued incarceration” ahead of the festive season was causing great frustration and despondency among the community. “The continued incarceration of our fishermen and impounding of their boats in Sri Lanka just as the festive season is beginning is causing great frustration and despondency among the fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu,” the CM said.

Seeking the personal intervention of the PM for the release of 41 fishermen, including four arrested on Thursday, besides 56 boats, she urged him to ‘urgently’ take up the issue with Lankan authorities at the appropriate level and ensure their immediate release along with the boats. “The Centre should act decisively in the light of the sensitive nature of this issue and initiate a calibrated set of actions to end the sufferings of our fishermen,” the letter said.

In the latest detentions, the four fishermen were arrested yesterday for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing near Nedunthevu islet off Lankan coast. Jayalalithaa recalled that the issue of IMBL itself is a “matter sub-judice” in the SC where she had challenged the validity of the Indo-Sri Lankan agreements of 1974 and 1976 ceding Katchatheevu to the island nation.

She also stated that her demand for a Comprehensive Special Package for deep sea fishing to the tune of Rs 1,520 crore raised with Modi twice, once in 2014 and the other in August this year, was still awaiting the Centre’s approval.