Fisherfolk in Karaikal, India have decided to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha election if the Union and Puducherry governments do not intervene and seek release of two boat drivers currently in Sri Lankan custody.

The decision was taken in a meeting of fisherfolk panchayat representatives from 11 villages on Wednesday.

K. Sivakumar, a fisher representative from Karaikalmedu, said, “We condemn the Sri Lankan government’s move of imprisoning our fishers and impounding their boats. We request the Union and Puducherry governments to demand release of boat drivers K Muruganantham and R Anburaj. Else, families in 11 fishing villagers will boycott the general election.”

In the past one week, a court in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, has sentenced three boat drivers from Mayiladuthurai, two from Ramanathapuram and one from Karaikal, to six months of imprisonment for allegedly crossing the international maritime boundary line (IMBL).

On March 10 and 15, the Sri Lankan navy arrested a total of 30 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

A court in Jaffna subsequently remanded them in judicial custody. On March 22, the court sentenced boat driver R Anburaj of Mayiladuthurai to six months in jail. His boat was impounded. Similarly, K Muruganantham of Karaikal was also sentenced to six months in jail on Wednesday while rest of the fishers were released. His mechanised boat was also impounded.

Following the series of arrests, Karaikal fishers met Puducherry chief minister, fisheries minister and the Assembly speaker seeking intervention. On Wednesday, a district-level meeting was held at Karaikalmedu where resolutions were adopted calling for an indefinite strike.

Source: The New Indian Express