Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, requesting him to initiate necessary diplomatic steps to ensure the early release of 16 fishermen and 102 fishing boats that were apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy.
CM MK Stalin said the arrest of 16 fishermen from Pudukottai and Nagapattinam is the third incident of attack/arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy in a month.
CM MK Stalin sought personal intervention of PM Modi to ensure that traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen are protected permanently and such that these incidents don’t occur.
Earlier, CM MK Stalin had written a letter to External Affairs Minister Jaishankar requesting action. “I am pained to point out that these incidents of attacks by Sri Lankan nationals are getting frequent. Hence, I request that the Government of India may take this up with the Sri Lankan Government urgently to restrain and to take stringent action against such elements among the Sri Lankan nationals, so that similar acts of violence are not repeated in future,” stated CM Stalin.
Meanwhile, the cadres of Pro-Tamil group, May 17 Movement, also held a protest against the recent attack on Tamil fishermen and attempted a siege on the Sri Lankan High Commission.
Source: India Today
