Indian fishermen threaten to boycott election

Fisherfolk in Karaikal, India, has decided to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha election if the Union and Puducherry governments do not intervene and seek the release of two boat drivers in Sri Lankan custody.

The decision was taken in a meeting of fisherfolk panchayat representatives from 11 villages.

K. Sivakumar, a fisher representative from Karaikalmedu, said: “We condemn the Sri Lankan government’s move of imprisoning our fishers and impounding their boats. We request that the Union and Puducherry governments demand the release of boat drivers K Muruganantham and R Anburaj. Otherwise, families in 11 fishing villagers will boycott the general election.”

In the past week, a court in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, has sentenced three boat drivers from Mayiladuthurai, two from Ramanathapuram, and one from Karaikal to six months of imprisonment for allegedly crossing the international maritime boundary line (IMBL).

On March 10 and 15, the Sri Lankan navy arrested a total of 30 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

A court in Jaffna subsequently remanded them in judicial custody. On March 22, the court sentenced boat driver R Anburaj of Mayiladuthurai to six months in jail. His boat was impounded.

Similarly, K Muruganantham of Karaikal was sentenced to six months in jail on Wednesday, while the rest of the fishers were released. His mechanized boat was also impounded.

Following the arrests, Karaikal fishers met Puducherry’s chief minister, fisheries minister, and the Assembly speaker seeking intervention.

On Wednesday, a district-level meeting was held at Karaikalmedu, where resolutions were adopted calling for an indefinite strike.