Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the release of the six fishermen, arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday.
In a letter to Modi, Jayalalithaa said that it was “inhumane” of Sri Lanka to detain the fishermen, who were in distress, due to a technical issue with their boat.
"These boats in distress and Indian fishermen on board are being apprehended and remanded to custody in Sri Lanka. This is a totally inhumane approach and completely against the ethics of maritime search and rescue operations," she said according to PTI.
The Sri Lankan strategy of keeping the apprehended fishing boats of the fishermen in its custody had "snatched away" the source of their meagre livelihood and "is also fuelling despondency and great unrest amongst the fishermen," Jayalalithaa said.
The Chief Minister said this “vexatious issue” can be solved if Katchaththeevu, a small uninhabited island ceded to Sri Lanka in the seventies, is retrieved.
"The stand of the Government of Tamil Nadu is that Katchaththeevu has always been a part of India, geographically, culturally and historically.
"The permanent solution to this vexatious issue lies in retrieving Indian sovereignty over Katchatheevu and in recognizing the rights of our fishermen to fish in their traditional fishing grounds of the Palk Bay," she said.
Also see our earlier posts:
Sri Lankan Navy arrests 15 Indian fishermen and sinks fishing boat (02 September 2014)
Talks fail as Sri Lanka rejects India's fishing proposals (31 August 2014)
Sri Lanka should immediately release fishing boats – Tamil Nadu (30 August 2014)
Government will not let Indians fish in Lankan waters – Minister (24 August 2014)
Indian Prime Minister to discuss solution to fishermen issue (20 August 2014)
38 Indian fishermen arrested (22 July 2014)
SL navy arrest 39 Tamil Nadu fishermen (16 July 2014)
Jaya urges Modi to secure release of 64 fishermen arrest by SL navy (25 June 2014)
Jayalalithaa slams renewed fishermen arrests by Sri Lanka (19 June 2014)
India committed to 'permanent solution' over fishermen arrests(16 June 2014)
Sri Lanka releases fishermen as Jaya calls for 'strong response'(09 June 2014)
Sri Lankan Navy arrests dozens of Indian fishermen (08 June 2014)
Sri Lanka releases Tamil Nadu fishermen amidst condemnation form
Jayalalithaa (05 June 2014)
Jaya urges Modi to take 'strong and robust' response to fishermen arrest (01 Jun 2014)
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