Fishermen body urges Modi to take up their issues with Centre

Gujarat fishermen, who have made several representations to the state and Centre over periodic abduction of their fisher-folk and seizure of boats by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, have again approached Chief Minister Narendra Modi urging him take up the issue with the government.

In this fishing season itself, one fishermen was killed, 150 were apprehended and 32 fishing boats were seized by PMSA from the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

"We have written many times in the past both to the Centre and the Gujarat government. But no permanent solution is in sight to the problem of kidnapping of fishermen and seizure of their boats," Bharat Modi, a fishermen community leader who was part of the delegation which made a representation to CM, said.

Bharat said that they have met External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, former Foreign Ministers S M Krishna and Natwar Singh on the issue so far but this has not yielded any result till now.

"Now, we have asked Chief Minister (made a representation) to take up our issue with the Centre and arrive at a concrete solution for this long-standing problem," he said.

Earlier, he said, talks with Pakistan on this issue were suspended as there was a military dispensation in power there. "However, with a democratic structure in place in the neighbouring country (for two consecutive terms), the issue can be solved through constructive dialogue," he said.

"If we can hold discussion with Sri Lanka and they can release our fishermen, why can't we hold talks with Pakistan on this issue?" Bharat asked.