Chennai, Feb 24 (BPNS)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin has in a letter to Union external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar called for an urgent intervention of the Government of India in the recurring issue of Indian fishermen mostly from Tamil Nadu with the Sri Lankan authorities.

In the letter on Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said that the fishermen of Tamil Nadu are under constant threat by the Sri Lankan authorities and still 29 fishers are in jail in the island nation. He said that 89 boats including fishing trawlers are in the custody of the Sri Lankan authorities and Government of India’s immediate intervention is urgently required.

Stalin in the letter said, “ I request you to take up this issue with the Sri Lankan authorities at the highest level and initiate bilateral talks between the two countries to find a permanent solution to this long pending vexatious issue and put in place functional mechanisms to stop such incidents in future.”

The Fishermen association of Ramanathapuram has also threatened that they would restore the road blockade if the fishermen of the area are not released from Sri Lankan prison.

S. Jesudasan, President, Ramanathapuram Fishermen association while speaking to BPNS said, “ We welcome any initiative taken by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to solve this vexed issue but the Sri Lankan authorities won’t budge unless the Government of India uses tough language. We don’t have any other option but to go for an indefinite road blockade to get our fellow fishermen released from jail. The Sri Lankans are of the position that the boats and trawlers seized will not be released and this cannot be allowed. Government of India must take up these issues with the Sri Lankan authorities at the highest level and bring about a solution on the same.”

It may be noted that several fishermen from Tamil Nadu are getting arrested after they inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and get into the custody of Sri Lankan authorities.