Chennai, March 2 (IANS) Governor R.N. Ravi on Sunday called upon the Tamil Nadu government to work with the central government to solve the enduring problem of the fishing community in the state. The Governor paid a visit to Rameswaram and met the fishermen and their families who are on strike against the recurring arrests of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. R.N. Ravi in a social media post said, “In my visit to Rameswaram today, I met our distressed brothers and sisters from the fishing community. I deeply sympathise with them. They are victims of an iniquitous agreement of 1974 which was extremely insensitive to the livelihood concerns of our poor fishermen.” He further said, “The then governments in Delhi and Chennai committed a grave sin by depriving our fishermen of their traditional fishing rights in the sea around Katchatheevu island. Since then, our fishing community have been suffering enduring hardship.”

The Governor added, “The fishermen are arrested and their boats confiscated by Sri Lankan authorities. This enduring problem has to have an enduring solution. The state and central govts together have to work towards it. Instead of politicising this issue and faulting the Central Government a constructive approach by the State Government will go a long way in wiping the tears of our affected people.” Governor Ravi said that the party ruling the state today as an ally of the then Central Government was equally responsible for the wrong in 1974. Fishermen and their families in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu continue their indefinite hunger strike, which began on Friday (February 28), demanding urgent intervention from the central government to secure the release of Indian fishermen imprisoned in Sri Lanka and retrieve their confiscated boats. Around 300 fishermen and their family members have been protesting at Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram, braving heavy rainfall.

Meanwhile, in Rameswaram, fishermen have been on an indefinite strike since February 23, condemning the frequent arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy. As the strike enters its seventh day, more than 700 boats remain anchored along the Rameswaram coast, severely impacting the fishing industry. Addressing the protesters, P. Jesuraja, leader of the All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association, stated that on February 23, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 32 fishermen from Ramanathapuram and seized five mechanised fishing boats, alleging violations of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). Fishermen’s associations estimate that the ongoing strike is causing a daily revenue loss of approximately Rs 1 crore, affecting over 10,000 workers dependent on the fishing industry. A consultative meeting of mechanised boat fishermen’s associations was held on February 23 at the Rameswaram fishing harbour, where they unanimously decided to halt fishing activities until the detained fishermen are released.

Fishermen leaders said that since January 2025, a total of 119 Indian fishermen and 16 boats have been apprehended. Jesuraja also emphasised the financial strain on the families of detained fishermen, who are often forced to pay hefty fines to secure their release. Fearing further arrests and boat seizures, many fishermen are now hesitant to venture into the sea. Fishermen’s associations across Tamil Nadu are planning large-scale protests against the ongoing detentions. Antony John, a fishermen’s association leader, said that coastal districts would soon finalise a date for statewide demonstrations. He urged the Union government to take immediate action to secure the release of all detained fishermen, retrieve confiscated boats, and establish a bilateral agreement with Sri Lanka to prevent further arrests. Additionally, fishermen’s associations have sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging swift diplomatic efforts to protect the livelihoods of coastal communities and prevent mid-sea arrests.

/IANS