Ask Lanka to stop attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen, Jayalalithaa writes to PM
Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take up the issue of frequent attacks on Indian fishermen with the Sri Lankan government. In a letter, she said the PM should impress upon Sri Lanka the need to instruct its navy to exercise restraint. Jayalalithaa's letter comes against the backdrop of an incident that took place on June 26 when the Sri Lankan navy allegedly chased Tamil Nadu fishermen and damaged their fishing nets.
Jayalalithaa said fishermen in 45 boats were near the Katchatheevu island, which falls within Lankan territorial waters, when they were chased away by the Sri Lankan navy. Recalling her communication to the PM on incidents of attack on Indian fishermen by the Lankan navy in the past one year, she sought his intervention. Jayalalithaa said Tamil Nadu fishermen have been traditionally fishing near Katchatheevu, notwithstanding any geographical or political boundaries.
Katchateevu is a small island that India ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974. Sri Lanka has been objecting to Tamil Nadu fishermen fishing in that area.