Secure release of fishers, boats CM urges Jaishankar

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday urged the Union External Affairs ministry to secure the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boats apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Drawing the attention of the Minister of External Affairs to the apprehension of 37 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and their three motorised country boats bearing registration Nos IND-TN-16-MO-3451, IND- TN-16-MO-1544 and an unregistered boat by the Sri Lankan Navy on September 21, Chief Minister Stalin, in his letter to Union Minister S Jaishankar, urged him to secure the release of all the arrested fishermen and their fishing boats as soon as possible.

Stalin also requested the Union Minister to prevail upon the Sri Lankan Government to stop levying hefty fines on the fishermen and provide them with necessary legal assistance.

Expressing deep anguish over the arrests, the Tamil Nadu CM said, “Such instances of arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen while fishing in their traditional fishing waters have been on the rise. Besides this, the Sri Lankan courts are levying penalties that are beyond the means of these fishermen.”

Stalin also asked the MEA to take strong measures to prevent the Sri Lankan authorities from apprehending fishermen and their fishing boats.