CM Stalin seeks PM Modi's intervention to stop auctioning of Tamil Nadu fishing boats by Sri Lanka
India Today
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has sought PM Modi's urgent intervention to stop the auctioning of over 100 boats belonging to state fishermen by the Sri Lankan government.
Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi's urgent intervention to stop the proposed auction of over 100 boats belonging to Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lanka and to obtain its concurrence for a proposed visit of state government officials.
Sri Lanka has initiated action to auction 105 fishing boats belonging to Tamil Nadu fishermen from February 7 to 11. "This is not legal and also a matter of grave concern and therefore must be stopped," Stalin said in a letter to Modi.
The chief minister said that last month he had written to him and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar urging them 'to finalise the efforts' for the transparent disposal of 125 'unsalvageable' Tamil Nadu boats that were apprehended by the Lankan Navy before 2018. Also, he had requested steps to ensure early release of 75 boats and fishing gears seized after 2018.
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Following this, the External Affairs Ministry on January 28 informed TN that the matter had been taken up by the Sri Lankan authorities. The Centre assured that Lanka would not proceed with the announced auction of fishing boats.
It was said that Sri Lanka also had concurred with the proposed visit of Tamil Nadu officials for this purpose and that they had requested fresh dates. "The revised date for the visit has since been proposed as 01.03.2022 to 06.03.2022."
Under such circumstances, the Lankan government 'going back on its words' and proceeding with the auction without consultation is bound to derail the efforts of the Indian High Commission and the Tamil Nadu government. "It is pertinent to note that these unsalvageable fishing boats were released by various Sri Lankan courts following due judicial procedure."
