Daijiworld Media Network- Chennai

Chennai, Aug 7: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has written to Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar seeking immediate diplomatic steps after 14 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on August 6.

In a detailed letter sent on Wednesday, the Chief Minister expressed deep concern over the continued arrests of fishermen from the state, terming the situation “alarming and unacceptable.” The fishermen were apprehended along with one mechanised fishing vessel and a country boat on charges of crossing into Sri Lankan territorial waters.

Stalin noted that this is the 17th such incident in 2025 alone, with a total of 80 Indian fishermen and 237 boats now under Sri Lankan custody. Calling the detentions a grave threat to the livelihood and freedom of Tamil fishermen, he stressed the need for strong diplomatic engagement to secure their release.

“Despite repeated requests from the state, these arrests have continued unabated,” Stalin stated in his letter. “Our fishermen venture out in traditional waters, and their continued detention by the Sri Lankan Navy is a serious issue. The Centre must act swiftly to resolve this matter.”

The Chief Minister’s appeal also rekindled the long-standing Katchatheevu issue. Stalin reminded the Centre of the Tamil Nadu Assembly’s unanimous resolution passed in April 2024, demanding the retrieval of Katchatheevu island—ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974—to protect the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen.

He further urged that only a direct and firm intervention by the Prime Minister could bring a lasting solution to the recurring crisis faced by Tamil fishermen.

The letter comes at a time when tensions remain high along the maritime border, with both political and livelihood concerns intersecting. Stalin has reiterated the state’s stand that the Union Government must treat the matter as one of national and humanitarian importance.