Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa yesterday urged the central government to give a “firm, clear, unequivocal” message to Sri Lanka to end the arrests of Indian fishermen in the sea. In a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi released to the media in Chennai, Jayalalithaa said Sri Lanka’s attitude towards the fishermen, who are from Tamil Nadu, had only hardened. “Even as they have released detained Indian fishermen, they have not released any of the 64 boats impounded since January 1,” she said.
“They have also started detaining fishermen and boats that are in distress or engaged in the rescue of distressed boats.”
Stressing that this has to be arrested, Jayalalithaa said: “This is possible only if a firm, clear, unequivocal and unambiguous message is sent out by the government to the Sri Lankan side that these hostile acts against Indian fishermen would not be tolerated and should cease.” She said such a message needs to be delivered “at the highest level on the Sri Lankan side” as the impulse for such “a cruel and ruthless strategy against Tamil Nadu fishermen appears to flow from the very top”.
