Rameswaram: Hundreds of fishermen and women observed a fast here on Wednesday to protest against the arrest of 68 fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy and demand their immediate release.
The fishing community from here and nearby areas of Pamban and Mandapam held the hunger strike on the Rameswaram-Madurai national highway here at Thangachimadam. Leaders of various fishermen associations in Rameswaram, including P Sesu Raja, N J Bose, S Emerit, N Devadoss and others participated.
Seshu Raja, speaking to reporters, said though the Centre is getting 'crores of rupees' as 'foreign exchange' from the fishing industry, it is not taking firm action to prevent the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Also Read: Uphold India's traditional fishing rights in Palk Strait: TN to Centre
The Sri Lankan government is 'violating' the 1974 Katchatheevu agreement, he said adding the union government should hold talks with the neighbouring country and ensure that attacks on fishermen do not recur.
About 10,000 fishermen would resort to rail roko at Thangachimadam on January 1, if Sri Lanka failed to release all the 68 Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boats.
The representatives of fishermen associations here would meet Union Ministers S Jaishankar (External Affairs) and Parshottam Rupala (Fisheries) at New Delhi to urge them to put an end to the arrest of fishermen by Sri Lanka, he added.
(PTI)
