Dr Ramadoss urges centre to take up steps with Sri Lanka to release 64 fishermen

CHENNAI: PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss on Sunday urged the central government should take steps to release the 64 fishermen who are languishing in Sri Lankan jails, including the 37 fishermen who were arrested on Saturday, and all the boats that have been confiscated so far.

"Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin writing a letter to the central government regarding the attacks and arrests on Tamil Nadu fishermen will not be useful. Stalin should personally meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure Tamil Nadu fishermen unhindered fishing in their traditional fishing grounds. The central government, for its part, should warn the Sri Lankan government to desist from attacking and arresting Tamil Nadu fishermen, " he said in a statement.

He said that 37 Rameswaram fishermen who were fishing in the Bay of Bengal along with their five boats have been arrested by the Lankan Navy and imprisoned in a Sri Lankan jail.

"They were arrested while fishing in Indian traditional fishing grounds adjacent to Rameswaram and Thalaimannar. This series of transgressions by the Navy is reprehensible. The Navy arrested 27 fishermen from Rameswaram on the 14th. The fishermen of Rameswaram, who had been on strike for the last 12 days demanding the release of them and the boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen that had been confiscated, ended their struggle and went fishing for the first time yesterday. Arresting 37 of them on the first day of doing so is a ruthless act," he noted.

Dr Ramadoss said that on the one hand, Sri Lanka is conducting a two-pronged attack by arresting fishermen and confiscating their boats, and on the other, attacking Tamil Nadu fishermen with pirates.

Due to this, the fishermen of Tamil Nadu are losing their livelihood, he added.