Fishermen's Congress protests against PM Modi’s TN visit, demand recovery of boats from SL navy

Tamil Nadu: Fishermen community held a black balloon protest at Pamban Bridge, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu to protest against the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi

S. Armstrong Fernando, National President of All India Fishermen's Congress, said in 2022, the Sri Lankan Navy seized 36 Tamil Nadu fishermen's boats and arrested 264 fishermen, and in 2023, they seized 35 Tamil Nadu fishermen's boats and arrested 240 Tamil Nadu fishermen. In the last two weeks alone, 40 Tamil Nadu fishermen have been arrested and imprisoned in the Jaffna Jail in Sri Lanka.

He said after the change of government in mid-2014 and the BJP coming to power, the oppression of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy has increased. Attacks by Sri Lankan soldiers on Tamil Nadu fishermen continue as Prime Minister Modi's regime is weak.

“In the last ten years alone, more than 300 Tamil Nadu fishermen's boats have been seized by the Sri Lankan Navy and 140 boats have been nationalized by the Sri Lankan courts. The nationalized Tamil Nadu fishermen's boats are being broken into firewood and the machinery is being sold to old iron shops in Jaffna,” he said.

All requests to the Prime Minister to recover the Tamil Nadu fishermen's boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy fell on deaf ears. The Union Government did not pay attention to the welfare of fishermen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is treating the fishermen of Tamil Nadu in discrimination, he said.

Therefore, he said a demonstration was held today January 21 at Annai Indira Gandhi Pamban Road Bridge to condemn anti-fishermen attitude. During the protest, black balloons were set off in the air urging Modi to go back.

Meanwhile, the All India Fishermen's Congress strongly condemned the attack on the vehicles of Rahul Gandhi in Lakhimpur city of Assam.