Stalin Pressures Jaishankar After 14 Tamil Fishermen Jailed

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has issued a fervent plea to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, demanding swift diplomatic intervention to secure the release of 14 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on August 6, 2025. The fishermen, apprehended along with their mechanised fishing vessel and a country boat for allegedly crossing into Sri Lankan waters, mark the 17th such incident this year, with 80 fishermen and 237 boats currently detained by Sri Lankan authorities.

In a sharply worded letter, Stalin highlighted the escalating crisis, stating, “These arrests are robbing our fishermen of their livelihood and freedom in traditional waters.” He urged Jaishankar to engage with Sri Lanka to halt the recurring detentions and secure the release of those held.

The issue, a persistent sore point in Tamil Nadu, is deeply tied to the contentious Katchatheevu island, ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974. Stalin reiterated his earlier call for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally intervene, accusing the BJP-led Centre of inaction and politicizing the issue.

The Katchatheevu dispute remains a political lightning rod, with the Tamil Nadu Assembly passing a unanimous resolution in April 2024 demanding its retrieval to safeguard fishermen’s rights. Fishermen argue that dwindling fish stocks in Indian waters push them into Sri Lankan territories, where they have historically fished.

Many advocate for a long-term lease agreement with Sri Lanka to legally access these waters, a solution mired in political blame games. The BJP points fingers at the Congress, a DMK ally, for ceding the island during the DMK’s state rule in the 1970s, while the DMK criticizes the Centre for failing to reverse the decision.

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As elections loom, the fishermen’s plight amplifies, with Stalin’s latest appeal underscoring the urgency for a diplomatic resolution to protect Tamil Nadu’s fishing community and restore their access to traditional waters.

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