Jaya urges PM to take up fishermen harassment issue to Lankan govt

Taking up the issue of recent fishermen harassment by Lankan Navy guards to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa Thursday wrote a letter urging him to raise this issue before his Lankan counterpart so that they can order the navy to stop harassing to innocent Indian fishermen.

In a letter to Singh, Jaya wrote to Prime Minister, "I wish to reiterate that from time immemorial the fishermen of Tamil Nadu have been traditionally fishing in the waters near Katchatheevu, notwithstanding any geographical or political boundaries."

"Tuesday incident has shocked Tamil Nadu and created a psychological fear in the minds of fishermen", stated Jaya in her letter.

According to excerpts of her letter, Jaya said, 'Around 704 mechanised fishing boats went for fishing in the sea from Rameswaram on June 25 in which 45 boats reached to Katchatheevu on June 26. The Sri Lankan Navy is reported to have chased the fishermen and cut the ropes and damaged nets of 10 boats, resulting in huge loss to the fishermen.'

Katchatheevu is a small Indian island in the Palk Strait that was transferred to Sri Lanka in 1974.

--With IANS Inputs--