CM Stalin asks Centre to convene Joint Working Group over fishermen arrest

Expressing concern over the 'alarming' rise in arrest of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan navy, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday urged the Centre to immediately convene the Joint Working Group to find a permanent solution to the issue.

The CM wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, flagging the latest detention of 32 Indian fishermen and five boats by the Lankan navy.

"I write this letter with a sense of deep anguish as the number of incidents of apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy have risen alarmingly in the recent times. In the latest incident, 32 fishermen have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on 23.02.2025 along with their five mechanised fishing boats...these fishermen had ventured for fishing from the Rameswaram fishing harbour on 22.02.2025," Stalin said in his letter.

The apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy are still continuing in large numbers inspite of his repeated requests to prevail upon Colombo to prevent such arrests. So far this year, 119 fishermen and 16 boats have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy in eight separate incidents, he added.

"Hence, I once again reiterate my earlier request to convene the Joint Working Group immediately to find a permanent solution to this long pending issue. This is especially crucial since the livelihoods of our fishermen families are impacted severely, due to these apprehensions."  "In view of the above, I request you to take strong diplomatic efforts to prevent the arrests of our fishermen and to secure the release of all the apprehended fishermen and their fishing boats from the Sri Lankan authorities at the earliest," the CM added.

Sri Lankan authorities on Sunday arrested 32 Indian fishermen and seized 5 fishing boats for allegedly venturing into the territorial waters of the island nation, its Navy had said.