Following the arrest of 32 fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line in the Palk Bay, the fishing community in Rameswaram has launched an indefinite strike, demanding their immediate release along with the seized boats, ANI reports.
As per ANI, on Sunday, Sri Lankan authorities detained 32 fishermen and confiscated five boats, leading to widespread concern and protests among the local fishing community. The fishermen`s association in Rameswaram convened an emergency meeting near the town’s fishing port to discuss the crisis.
According to ANI, the secretary of the Rameswaram Fishermen Association, Sagayam, stated that a resolution was passed in the meeting urging both the central and state governments to take swift action to secure the release of the detained fishermen. He also emphasised the need to prevent the auctioning of Tamil Nadu fishermen’s boats in Sri Lanka and to retrieve those already seized. To press their demands, the fishermen decided to embark on an indefinite strike from Monday.
On Monday, the Rameswaram fishing jetty remained eerily empty as more than 700 mechanised boats stayed docked at the harbour in protest. This demonstration follows the escalating tensions over repeated incidents of arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy.
ANI reports that on Sunday, a total of 440 fishing boats had ventured into the Palk Bay from Rameswaram. While engaged in routine fishing activities, Sri Lankan naval personnel arrived in a patrol vessel, seized five boats, and detained 32 fishermen, citing illegal border crossings.
Since January, a total of 18 fishing boats have been confiscated by the Sri Lankan authorities, and 131 fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested, as per ANI. The ongoing issue has led to repeated appeals from Tamil Nadu’s political leadership for diplomatic intervention.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has expressed deep concern over the increasing number of arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan forces. He has urged the central government to convene a Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting to establish a long-term resolution.
Highlighting the latest arrest of 32 fishermen, Stalin wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, stressing the need for urgent intervention. ANI reports that Stalin’s letter emphasised that the JWG must work towards the secure release of all detained fishermen and the retrieval of their boats.
These fishermen had set sail from Rameswaram harbour on February 22 and were apprehended two days later, further exacerbating tensions between Tamil Nadu’s fishing community and Sri Lankan authorities.
(With inputs from PTI)
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