Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Sunday again wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the continuing arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy.

In her letter, Jayalalithaa said the arrests were meant as retribution for the ongoing demonstrations in Tamil Nadu over the Lankan Tamils issue, and repeated her demand for the Centre to treat them as acts of provocation and aggression by Colombo.

“Lately, against the backdrop of growing and continuing protests by the people of Tamil Nadu against the treatment meted out to the Sri Lankan Tamils by the authorities in Lanka, the Lankan government has now resorted to arrests of our fishermen and are holding them in Lankan Jails,” read Jayalalithaa’s letter.

Jayalalithaa pointed out that the Lankan Navy had arrested 30 more fishermen from Rameswaram on Saturday and remanded them in judicial custody. She said the 19 fishermen, who were arrested on March 13, continued to languish in Lankan jails.

“This has caused enormous agitation and unrest amongst the entire fishing community in Tamil Nadu. No government can watch as a mute spectator while its fisherfolk lose their livelihood because of the unfriendly act of an unfriendly neighbour nation,” said Jayalalithaa in her letter.

The chief minister said that a number of arrests had taken place in the traditional fishing grounds of Tamil Nadu’s fishing community, and reminded the PM that her government has challenged the ceding of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. (Source: New Indian Express)