NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JULY 20
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the issue of protection of the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen.
Pointing to Wickremesinghe’s two-day official visit to the country this week, Stalin outlined ‘retrieval’ of Katchatheevu island and addressing the genuine aspirations of the Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka as matters of great concern to the people of Tamil Nadu.
At the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, Wickremesinghe is set to visit India on an official visit on July 21. This will be his first visit to the country since assuming the ‘current responsibilities,’ according to the External Affairs Ministry. Stalin, writing to Modi, said it is imperative to protect the social, political, cultural and economic rights of the Tamils in Sri Lanka so that they could lead dignified lives as equal citizens.
“For this purpose, there must be adequate and meaningful devolution of powers to the provinces, which fulfils the genuine and unresolved aspirations of the Tamils in the
“We appeal for initiating strong and enhanced measures to prevent the harassment of our fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. Regular patrolling, establishment of communication channels, and installation of warning systems could significantly reduce the incidents of harassment and apprehension.”
Sri Lanka amended its Fisheries Act in 2018 enabling it to nationalise foreign fishing boats. The nationalisation of Indian boats without proper compensation pushes the fishermen into financial distress,” the CM said. An official release here said Stalin wrote to Modi on July 19.
