Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar urging that the India–Sri Lanka Joint Working Group formed to address fishermen-related issues be properly reconstituted and convened at the earliest.
In his letter, the Chief Minister referred to the arrest of nine fishermen from Rameswaram by the Sri Lankan Navy on October 3, along with the seizure of their fishing boats.
He noted that fishermen from Ramanathapuram and nearby coastal districts have traditionally depended on fishing in the Palk Strait, and that their boats are central to their livelihood. The seizure of boats, he said, pushes families into financial distress.
The Chief Minister called for constructive solutions to issues faced by fishermen of both countries. He also sought steps to secure the release of 20 fishermen currently in Sri Lankan prisons and to recover 270 boats that have been seized.
