The recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sri Lanka did not benefit Tamil Nadu, according to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
Speaking during a debate on the fishermen issue at the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Chief Minister Stalin said it is concerning that fishermen are being apprehended continuously despite the repeated requests made to the central government.
He said they urged the Indian Prime Minister Modi to discuss and prevent the continuous arrest of Tamil Nadu fisherman by Sri Lankan authorities for poaching.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said there is no indication that Prime Minister Modi took any initiative regarding the plight of Tamil Nadu fishermen during his recent visit to Sri Lanka.
A total of 97 fishermen and their boats are in Sri Lankan custody at present, according to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
He added that they have urged the central government of India to intervene in the matter since the livelihoods of Tamil Nadu fishermen are severely affected by repeated arrests by Sri Lankan authorities.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin stressed that the state government will continue to stand by Tamil Nadu fishermen although the central government has disregarded them.
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi concluded his two-day state visit to Sri Lanka yesterday.
While in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with President Anura Kumar Dissanayake on Saturday (05).
The two sides signed seven Memorandums of Understanding after the bilateral talks including an ambitious defence cooperation pact.
Prime Minister Modi, during his remarks at a joint media briefing, said, ‘We discussed the fishermen’s issues. We agreed that we should move forward in this matter with a humane approach. We stressed the immediate release of the fishermen and the return of their boats.’
President Dissanayake said he sought PM Modi’s intervention to take measures to stop the practice and curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka released 14 Indian fishermen, to coincide with the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the island.
--With Inputs from Agencies
