Faced with protests from Lok Sabha members belonging to BJP, DMK and AIADMK over the frequent arrest and killing of fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy, the Indian government has said getting the Indians released was its topmost priority and it would continue to engage with the neighbour.

“We share the concerns of the members over the situation faced by the fishermen. A large number of fishermen have already been released (by Sri Lanka). We will continue to engage with Sri Lanka to ensure that no more arrests are made and ensure all those arrested are released,” parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

His response came after leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj and members from AIADMK, DMK and Congress raised the issue. Even after Nath’s statement, AIADMK members walked out, apparently unsatisfied with the government’s response.

DMK’s T R Baalu demanded that the government evolve some mechanism to tackle the problem. Attacking the government for its “inaction” over the “intensified hostile actions” by Sri Lankan navy against the fishermen, AIADMK leader M Thambidurai said Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa had written several letters to the prime minister on the matter but no concrete action had been taken.

Maintaining that about 125 fishermen were still in Lankan prisons and over 500 killed in the last several years, he also attacked DMK, a former UPA partner, for “not persuading the prime minister to take action... Lankan navy is acting with impunity... why can’t the Indian Navy save our fishermen and prevent the arrests?”

The AIADMK leader also said the issue of Katchathivu still remained to be resolved and Sri Lanka was “taking advantage” of Parliament not passing a resolution in the matter. - TOI