Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging him to secure the release of 37 Tamil fishermen detained by Sri Lankan authorities.
The fishermen were arrested on September 21, 2024, after allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line while attempting to rescue a Sri Lankan boat in distress.
Despite reaching out to Sri Lankan authorities for help during the rescue effort, the fishermen were apprehended, and their boats—community-owned through pooled resources — were seized.
In a letter addressed to Jaishankar, Rahul Gandhi stressed that the repeated arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, along with the confiscation of assets and imposition of hefty fines, require "strict condemnation". He requested the Indian government to act promptly in engaging with Sri Lankan authorities to ensure the fishermen's early release.
The issue of Tamil fishermen being detained by Sri Lankan authorities has been a longstanding concern, affecting the livelihoods of small and marginal fishermen in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has also repeatedly written to Jaishankar on this matter, and Jaishankar has previously assured proactive efforts by the Indian High Commission in Colombo and the Consulate in Jaffna to resolve such cases swiftly.
This matter has also been a topic of discussion during high-level meetings between Indian and Sri Lankan leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe during his visit to India in 2023.
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