Vaiko urges Centre to get 27 fishermen released from Lanka

In a statement, Vaiko said that fishermen from Nambuthalai in Ramanathapuram district went to the sea from Jagathapattinam in Pudukkottai district and they were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy when they were fishing near Neduntheevu, on August 10. In the incident, 27 fishermen in four boats were arrested and the boats were seized. 

“I strongly condemn the arrest of fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy who were fishing near the border. The Sri Lankan Navy had entered our border and had arrested them,” said Vaiko. The arrested fishermen were taken to Kankesanthurai port and were lodged in Jaffna prison.

He also said that the fishermen were booked under the recently amended Fishing (Regulation of Foreign Fishing Boats) Act and according to the Act the fishermen would be lodged in prison for two years and the fine would be to the tune of several lakhs. 

When he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 he had informed him that the amendment is aimed at Tamil Nadu fishermen fishing in Palk Straight and demanded him to oppose the amendment to the Act. Even in 2017, when Modi went to participate in the Visaka festival in Sri Lanka MDMK had demanded him to pressurise Lankan government to withdraw the amendment and Modi too assured that he will take all possible steps to force the Sri Lankan government to withdraw the amendment, said Vaiko.

However, no steps were taken by the BJP government in the Centre to force the Sri Lankan government to repeal the amendment. 

The Sri Lankan government continues to exercise its influence on the Tamil fishermen, said Vaiko.