Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has engaged with Indian fishermen protesting the Sri Lankan Navy’s recent arrest of 32 fishermen and the seizure of five boats on February 23.
During a meeting on Sunday, Governor Ravi assured the demonstrators that he would escalate their concerns to both state and central authorities. However, he later criticized the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, urging them to take a “constructive approach” rather than “politicizing” the issue.
Arrests and Escalating Protests
The arrests took place near the North Mannar region, with Sri Lankan authorities claiming that the fishermen had crossed the international maritime boundary. The incident has sparked widespread protests across Tamil Nadu’s coastal communities.
“I totally understand your problem. The solution can be derived only by the state and the central government together, and I’ll try for that,” Ravi told the fishermen while listening to their grievances.
In a subsequent social media post, the Governor described the fishermen as “victims of an iniquitous agreement of 1974,” which he said ignored the livelihood concerns of Tamil Nadu’s fishing communities. He accused previous governments in Delhi and Chennai of committing a “grave sin” by depriving fishermen of their traditional fishing rights around Katchatheevu island.
Economic Impact and Threats of Wider Protests
The protests, now in their third day, have intensified as over a hundred fishermen remain in detention and several boats remain confiscated by Sri Lankan authorities.
On Saturday alone, 5,000 fishermen in 450 boats were reportedly intercepted, with 32 arrested and taken to Talaimannar Naval Camp. The ongoing strike has left around 700 boats anchored at Rameswaram fishing port, causing estimated daily losses of Rs 1 crore.
Fishermen leaders have warned of expanding their protests to other coastal districts if authorities fail to secure the immediate release of their detained colleagues.
Source: The Hans India
