India, Sri Lanka to hold joint working group meeting to discuss seizure of TN fishermen's boats: State BJP chief

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 7 : Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai said on Wednesday that a joint working group will be called between India and Sri Lanka to discuss about 170 Tamil fishermen's boats that have been seized by the Sri Lankan Navy.
The BJP leader said that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, a Ministry for Fisheries was created in 2019 for the first time.
"There are two conflict points concerning our fishermen: one is Gujarat, and the other is Tamil Nadu... Many times, Pakistan keeps arresting our fishermen from Gujarat. After PM Narendra Modi came to power, for the first time in 2019, a Ministry for Fisheries was created," he said.
"Tamil Nadu is the second conflict point, especially after the DMK government ceded Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka. Till 2014, shooting in the high seas was a normal affair. A lot of our fishermen brothers were killed by the Sri Lankan Navy. After Modi Ji took over, there was zero shooting," Annamalai added.
The BJP leader said that 2024 has turned out to be a slightly different year, as out of 273 Tamil fishermen who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, 204 have been brought back.
"2024 has turned out to be a slightly different year when 273 Tamil fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. 204 people have been brought back while 69 people are in Sri Lankan jail, 61 are in judicial custody, and 8 people have been sentenced," he said.
"This was the first issue we brought to the attention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. We have been assured that within a very short time, a 2+2 joint working group will be called between India and Sri Lanka, where the External Affairs Ministry and Fisheries Ministry of both countries will sit together so that they can talk about 170 Tamil fishermen boats that have been seized by the Sri Lankan Navy. The fishermen's concerns were listened to by our Indian government," Annamalai added.
Earlier on Monday, representatives from the Tamil Nadu fishermen associations met S Jaishankar in Delhi.
After the meeting, S Jaishankar told ANI, "There has been an increase in the number of detentions of our fishermen and one unfortunate incident where one of our fishermen lost his life".
The EAM added, "Annamalai ji has got all the key associations here. They were explaining their problems. Some of it pertains to the Foreign Ministry and some of it to the Fisheries Ministry. The Secretary of the Fisheries Ministry was also present at the meeting. We have said we will look at this".
"At the end of the day, it should not be a political problem, it is a matter of their livelihood, safety, security and occupation. We should find some reasonable way," he said.
Jaishankar said that they secured the release of the 20 fishermen on Monday.
"Our Union Government and High Commission have always worked. Just now we got 20 fishermen released. We will see if we can have a meeting of the fishermen's association and joint working group. That is the assurance I have given," the EAM added.