Tamil Nadu has reiterated its demand for the immediate release of its fishing boats held by Sri Lanka.
Speaking during the first India-Sri Lanka Joint Committee (JC) meeting on fisheries in New Delhi, Tamil Nadu’s Fisheries Secreteary S Vijayakumar reiterated the state’s “firm commitment” to the restoration of traditional fishing rights of Tamil fishermen, including fishing unhindered in the Palk Strait.
The Government of India should not treat the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) with Sri Lanka as settled, since the constitutional validity previous agreements have been challenged on “extremely valid and legal grounds” by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the Supreme Court of India, he said according to The New Indian Express.
The Indian delegation was led by Dr Raja Sekar Vundru, Joint Fisheries Secretary, and Sri Lanka was led by Nimal Hettiarachchi, Director General of the Department of Fisheries and Agricultural Resources.
See our earlier posts:
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)