Tell Lanka to stop arresting fishermen: Tamil Nadu CM to Modi

The arrest of 12 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, has promoted the TN state government to ask the centre to send an “unequivocal message” to Colombo to stop the apprehensions, PTI reported.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami said the 12 persons were arrested in two different instances after they set sail from Jegathapattinam and Kottaipattinam fishing bases in Puthukottai on early hours.

The Chief Minister told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the arrest came days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had met Tamil Nadu ministers and the fishermen representatives separately this month.
     
“It is unfortunate that these incidents have taken place at a time when our fishermen are hopeful that a pragmatic and permanent solution to this issue would emerge as was discussed at the meeting” with Ms Swaraj, he told PM Modi in a letter.

“This most recent act of the Sri Lankan Navy again creates anxiety and unrest in the minds of our fishermen and vitiates the atmosphere of hope which was generated as a result of these meetings,” he said.

He said “a firm, clear, unequivocal and unambiguous message” should be sent out by the Government of India to Sri Lanka to ensure that these apprehensions are stopped.

-Agencies