MADURAI: The Union Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs of Government of India Mr.V.Muraleedharan has today- on February 2nd 2024- replied in the Lok Sabha that as per the information available with the Ministry, there are 266 Indian fishermen in foreign jails.
Of these total 266 Indian fishermen who are in foreign jails now, 10 of them are in jail in Bahrain, 184 Indian fishermen in Pakistan jails, 31 in Saudi Arabia and 25 are in jail in Sri Lanka, as per the numbers given to the Parliament today.
A question was raised in the Lok Sabha about attacks on fishermen for which the answer was given today. The question (unstarred question number 44 on 02-02-2024) was asked by Madurai MP Mr.Su.Venkatesan, Mr.S.Ramalingam and Mr.Hibi Eden.
The question was “whether the Government attaches highest priority to the safety, security and welfare of Indian fishermen in mid sea, if so, the details thereof…..etc”.
In a press statement today evening, the Madurai MP Mr.Su.Venkatesan has said that totally 6,658 Tamil fishermen were arrested and lodged in Sri Lanka prisons in the last 20 years, and among them 3,137 Indian fishermen were jailed in Sri Lankan prisons between 2014 and 2024 during the BJP government period.
“We are receiving only the same diplomatic language in the reply given to our question in Lok Sabha. What is needed is a political will to solve the fishermen safety issue. More fishermen got arrested in the BJP government than during the Congress time. So, we appeal for a good bilateral, diplomatic dialogue to release the fishermen quickly,” Madurai MP Mr.Su.Venkatesan had urged today.
