Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to take steps to secure the release of 37 Tamil fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy recently.
On September 22, 37 fishermen from Poompuhar were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. The fishermen had set sail from the Poompuhar fish landing centre in three mechanised boats and were intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing. They were subsequently taken to the Kankesanthurai Naval Base.
In a letter of September 28 to Mr. Jaishankar, Mr. Gandhi highlighted an alleged unjust treatment faced by the fishermen, who were operating near the Tamil Nadu coast when they were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Mr. Gandhi’s letter was posted on social media platform X by Mayiladuthurai MP R. Sudha, who had written to the Minister, condemning the arrest alleging a violation of international treaties and humanitarian principles. Ms. Sudha had stressed that the fishermen, hailing from villages in her constituency, had been wrongfully detained after attempting to rescue a capsized Sri Lankan boat.
Published – September 28, 2024 07:09 pm IST
