Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai Discusses Fishermen’s Issues with Sri Lanka
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 7: Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai announced that a joint working group will be formed between India and Sri Lanka to address the issue of 170 Tamil fishermen’s boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Creation of Ministry for Fisheries
Annamalai highlighted that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, a Ministry for Fisheries was established in 2019. He mentioned that there are two main conflict points concerning Indian fishermen: Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. He noted that many fishermen from Gujarat are often arrested by Pakistan, and Tamil Nadu fishermen face issues with the Sri Lankan Navy.
Zero Shootings Since 2014
Annamalai pointed out that before 2014, shootings in the high seas were common, resulting in the deaths of many fishermen. However, since Modi took over, there have been no shootings.
Fishermen Arrests in 2024
In 2024, 273 Tamil fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. Out of these, 204 have been brought back, while 69 remain in Sri Lankan jails. Annamalai assured that the Indian government is working to address these issues through discussions with Sri Lanka.
Meeting with External Affairs Minister
Earlier, representatives from Tamil Nadu fishermen associations met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Delhi. Jaishankar acknowledged the increase in detentions and the unfortunate death of a fisherman. He assured that both the Foreign Ministry and Fisheries Ministry are working together to find a solution.
Release of Fishermen
Jaishankar also mentioned that 20 fishermen were recently released and emphasized the importance of addressing the fishermen’s livelihood, safety, and security.
Doubts Revealed
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the major political parties in India.
K. Annamalai -: K. Annamalai is a politician and the President of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, a state in India.
Fishermen’s Issues -: Fishermen’s issues refer to problems faced by people who catch fish for a living, like their boats being taken away or getting arrested.
Sri Lanka -: Sri Lanka is a country near India, across the sea. Sometimes, fishermen from Tamil Nadu accidentally go into Sri Lankan waters.
Joint Working Group -: A joint working group is a team made up of people from two or more countries working together to solve a problem.
Seizure of Boats -: Seizure of boats means taking away the boats by force, often by the navy or coast guard.
Sri Lankan Navy -: The Sri Lankan Navy is the part of Sri Lanka’s military that operates at sea.
Ministry for Fisheries -: The Ministry for Fisheries is a part of the government that looks after the fishing industry and fishermen’s welfare.
External Affairs Minister -: The External Affairs Minister is a government official responsible for managing India’s relationships with other countries.
S. Jaishankar -: S. Jaishankar is the current External Affairs Minister of India, responsible for foreign affairs.
