MK Stalin seeks Centre's urgent intervention in Tamil Nadu fishermen issue

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has urged the Centre to urgently engage with Sri Lankan authorities and find a permanent solution to the issue of attack on Indian fishermen, mostly from the state, and put in place functional mechanisms to stop such incidents in future.

In a letter to Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday, Stalin said that the fishermen of the state are under constant threat by the Sri Lankan authorities and still 29 fishers are in jail in the island nation.

Eighty-nine boats, including fishing trawlers, are in the custody of the Sri Lankan authorities and Government of India's immediate intervention is urgently required.

Stalin, in the letter, said: "I request you to take up this issue with the Sri Lankan authorities at the highest level and initiate bilateral talks between the two countries to find a permanent solution to this long pending vexatious issue and put in place functional mechanisms to stop such incidents in future."

Meanwhile, the Fishermen association of Ramanathapuram has also threatened to restore the road blockade if the fishermen of the area are not released from Sri Lankan prison.

S. Jesudasan, President, Ramanathapuram Fishermen association while, speaking to IANS said: "We welcome any initiative taken by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to solve this vexed issue but the Sri Lankan authorities won't budge unless the Government of India uses tough language. We don't have any other option but to go for an indefinite road blockade to get our fellow fishermen released from jail.

"The Sri Lankans are of the position that the boats and trawlers seized will not be released and this cannot be allowed. Government of India must take up these issues with the Sri Lankan authorities at the highest level and bring about a solution on the same."

Several fishermen from Tamil Nadu are getting arrested after they inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and get into the custody of Sri Lankan authorities.