Chennai
Fishermen from Tamil Nadu staged a protest on Tuesday, blocking the Pamban Bridge in Rameswaram to express their anger over the frequent arrests of local fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. The protest caused severe traffic congestion on the Madurai National Highway.
The unrest was sparked after the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 12 fishermen from Nagapattinam early on Tuesday. Fishermen leaders, including M. Mariappan, said that the Union government has failed to act, and Tamil Nadu fishermen are repeatedly targeted while at sea. Despite multiple appeals from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to the central government, no significant measures have been taken to address the issue.
Since last Saturday, 35 fishermen from Rameswaram and Nagapattinam have been detained, and their fishing boats seized. Fisherman Raghunathan described the ongoing hardships, with 23 fishermen detained on Saturday alone, along with the confiscation of their trawlers.
Fishermen have long sought action from both state and central governments, expressing their frustration at being caught in a recurring cycle of arrests. The Sri Lankan government, under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, recently stated that Indian fishermen crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line are harming Sri Lanka’s marine resources, prompting stricter enforcement.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin has written multiple letters to the Union government urging intervention to secure the release of 128 Tamil fishermen currently held in Sri Lankan custody, along with 199 seized fishing boats. Local leaders continue to push for urgent action to stop the ongoing victimization of Tamil Nadu fishermen.
