Fishermen issue highest priority, says Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday informed Parliament that India has strongly conveyed to Sri Lanka that the use of force against its fishermen cannot be justified under any circumstances.

The minister said the issue has been taken up with Sri Lanka at the highest level while making statements in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha against the backdrop of killing of a Tamil fisherman in alleged firing by Sri Lankan Navy recently.

“I will again like to ressure the honourable members that the government accords the highest priority to promote the wellbeing, safety and security of our fishermen. We have strongly conveyed to Sri Lanka that the use of force cannot be justified under any circumstances,” the minister said.

She said the Indian government has consistently taken up fishermen’s issues with its Lankan counterparts and secured the release of its 1,045 fishermen in 2014, 375 in 2015, 333 in 2016 and 51 in 2017.

Ms Swaraj said the release of all the 85 fishermen still in the Lankan custody has been secured and while 77 returned to India on Tuesday, eight others are on their way back.

The minister pointed out that following the killing of a fisherman on March 6 in Palk Bay after a fishing vessel from Tamil Nadu was fired upon, allegedly by the Lankan Navy, the Indian government expressed its strong concerns to the neighbouring government.

Sri Lanka has denied the involvement of its Navy in the incident, the minister noted. The Indian high commissioner had spoken to the Sri Lankan PM and the Navy commander on this matter, she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Swaraj informed the Rajya Sabha that as many as 301 Indian fishermen are currently lodged in jails in Pakistan which has confirmed the presence of only 77 and the government is making all efforts to secure their release.

She said India has taken up the issue with Pakistan and has put a policy in place where officials of both countries exchange information about prisoners lodged in each others’ jails. “Since 2014, we have been able to secure the release of 1,261 fishermen lodged in Pakistan jails. In the last three months, we have secured the release of 438 Indian fishermen,” she added.