Opposition MPs protest in opposition to arrest of Indian fisherfolk by Sri Lanka

“Fishermen are being tortured, harassed and killed for years and the federal government doesn’t take any concrete steps to resolve the problem. Earlier, they (Sri Lankan authorities) used to assault them and take away their catch. Just lately, they’ve began utilizing weapons to shoot the poor fishermen,” the Rajya Sabha member stated.

He claimed the fisherfolk had been terrified of venturing out to sea, disrupting their livelihood.

Siva additionally stated there was a proposal to incorporate these fisherfolk within the Scheduled Tribe class.

DMK MP Kanimozhi stated Tamil Nadu chief minister M.Okay. Stalin had written to prime minister Narendra Modi and exterior affairs minister S. Jaishankar a number of occasions on the matter, urging them to discover a everlasting resolution.

“The Sri Lankan Navy has been arresting and harassing Tamil Nadu’s fishermen. Almost 97 fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested. Our chief minister M.Okay. Stalin has written to the prime minister, the exterior affairs minister,” she stated.

“They (Sri Lankan authorities) have taken away almost 200 boats… The fishermen’s livelihood is being affected. The boats have been taken away and nationalised by the Sri Lankan authorities. The Union authorities has not achieved something. Our demand is that the fishermen need to be launched, the boats returned, and a everlasting resolution discovered,” the Lok Sabha member stated.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore additionally demanded the Centre intervene within the matter and have interaction with the Sri Lankan authorities.