SLN establishing its authoritarian presence in Palk Bay-Jaya

7 January 2014 07:30 am - 20 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Accusing the Indian government of showing "hopelessly inadequate response" to arrest of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has said the island country's "repressive" navy was "establishing its authoritarian presence in the Palk Bay by arresting innocent fishermen."

This has caused angst and resentment among the people of Tamil Nadu, she told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a letter dated January 6, where she referred to the latest arrest of the state's fishermen by the Lankan navy and sought his intervention to secure their release.

"The repressive Sri Lankan Navy is establishing its authoritarian presence in the Palk Bay by chasing and arresting unarmed innocent fishermen from Tamil Nadu who offer no provocation," she said.

"These oppressive acts of the Lankan Navy on the direction of the emboldened Sri Lankan regime have caused a great deal of suffering and coupled with the hopelessly inadequate response of the Government of India, have given rise to considerable resentment and angst not only amongst the fishermen community, but also amongst the entire population of Tamil Nadu," she said.

Jayalalithaa alleged that the Indian Government "has been a mute spectator all along and not at all willing to understand the sufferings of its own fishermen and their families and intervene effectively."

The bread winners of poor fishermen families were kept under detention for months together and the only assets they possess to earn livelihood, their boats, were also being ruined there due to inaction of the Centre, she said.

Referring to last week's arrest of 25 fishermen while "fishing in their traditional waters in Gulf of Mannar," and 250 others languishing in Lankan jails, Jayalalithaa sought Singh's immediate personal intervention and use diplomatic channels of the Government in a 'concrete and decisive manner' with Lankan authorities to secure their immediate release.

The state government released the letter on Tuesday. (PTI)

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Comments - 20

Roy Tuesday, 07 January 2014 08:50 AM

Dr.Singh is a Puppet of SL..No point of letters Jaya.

Suq Madique Wednesday, 08 January 2014 01:10 PM

Indians, stay on your side of the Palk Strait, it will be better for all.

jim pappa Wednesday, 08 January 2014 12:45 PM

Don't you cry, Latha petiyo.

an s !!!kith udugama Wednesday, 08 January 2014 12:17 PM

Get lost lady !

Ranjith Silvar Wednesday, 08 January 2014 05:10 AM

Hey Nadu Latha!. Check with International Maritime Boundaries and NOT the Traditional Myths.

Sonali De Silva Tuesday, 07 January 2014 12:29 PM

Whine, whine, whine. I think she is exhibiting the symptoms of senility. She's lost her "script" in this pitiful drama.
'.

sobers Tuesday, 07 January 2014 10:53 AM

All these are Election "Gundu".

Tania Tuesday, 07 January 2014 10:29 AM

As Minister, Chidambaran quite rightly says this woman is the principal culprit for all these troubles. Due to her racist-stupid mind she doesn't believe in keeping any peaceful environment with neighbouring country like Sri Lanka due to pressures exerted by LTTE diaspora and illiterate T/Nadu racists.

Fayad Tuesday, 07 January 2014 09:40 AM

Without Srilanka your are zero plus plus in your election campaign, because you have done nothing for your people but worried about Srilanka all the time. What a shame

Suq Madique Tuesday, 07 January 2014 09:08 AM

What does she want us to do? Watch meekly while they steal our fish? This issue was escalated by the non-action of the tamil nadu govt in advising their fishermen not to poach.

kumara Tuesday, 07 January 2014 07:45 AM

make sure they are not taking our fish out to india

jaya Tuesday, 07 January 2014 08:45 AM

Jayalalitha being big time thief of public funds seems to too keen to help small time thieves of thamilnadu to steal sri lankan fish. if she loves people there she should not steal from them in the first place

siva Tuesday, 07 January 2014 08:30 AM

to catch votes this mad women provoke people of both countries, actually what she has to do is show fishermen the boundaries which should not cross without that what ever she does shows her stupidness

Roy Tuesday, 07 January 2014 08:29 AM

Doesn't she know that it is the duty of the SLN to exercise maximum of its authority?

suneth Tuesday, 07 January 2014 08:28 AM

who do fishing in Palk Bay. SL Tamils. SL Navy is protecting the lively hood of your kith & kin. Where is your brotherhood that you always cry for all the other issues

Calistus Jayatilleke Tuesday, 07 January 2014 08:22 AM

There is nothing called "traditional rights" anywhere. We have killed that concept once and for all when we eliminated rhe LTTE.

ANTON Tuesday, 07 January 2014 08:18 AM

NOW THIS LADY HAS BECOME A BIG FISH IN A SMALL POND,
POINTLESS REMARKS....... I MEAN POINTLESS.

ram Tuesday, 07 January 2014 08:04 AM

change the central government and replace BJP as an central government good for all.

ind Tuesday, 07 January 2014 07:59 AM

Our Navy in our water. So what ??? Most importantly they are protecting Tamil fishermen's harvest. All the time they pretend to show that they are the sole protector of Tamil people. But, in this case, they are robbing their harvest.

Sudharma Tuesday, 07 January 2014 07:56 AM

When the SL Navy is trying protect its fishermen straying into Indian waters, this woman is making baseless allegations against SL Navy!

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SLN establishing its authoritarian presence in Palk Bay-Jaya

Comments - 20

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