Protests in Rameswaram over arrest of 16 fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy

Protests have erupted in Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram against the arrest of 16 fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

As part of the protests, 800 fishing boats did not venture out to the sea on Thursday.

The arrested fishermen were from Rameswaram and Mandapam.

While speaking to IANS, Yesudas.S. Arokyasami, a fisherman from Rameswaram, said: "Even as more than 82 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy since the beginning of 2022, the Central and state governments are not doing much against this. We are not going to the sea for fishing as a mark of protest against this injustice to fishermen from our state."

He said although the Centre has helped the crisis-hit Sri Lankan government with funds, the island nation is yet to reciprocate the Indian gesture.

Yesudas said that in the deep sea, the fishermen from Sri Lanka are now pleading with the Indian fishermen for uncooked rice and even liquor.

He said that during earlier times, the Sri Lankan fishermen used to be very arrogant but now they have changed due to the heavy crisis faced by the island nation.

The fisherman however upon both the Central government and Tamil Nadu government to immediately act on the matter and to put an end to the issue.

Mathew Arumugham, a fisherman from Rameswaram, told IANS: "Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu are facing the brunt even after Sri Lanka was pleading with the Indian government for financial support. These attacks and regular arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankans cannot be accepted and we are calling off work for the day as a token protest and this will continue if inaction continues."

With the issue of Indian fishermen being arrested by Sri Lankan authorities over the crossing of International Maritime Boundary Line( IMBL) turning into a hot subject, the fishermen from Rameswaram are jacking up pressure on both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to bring about a permanent solution to the matter.