Members of the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) and the fishing community staged a demonstration in Rameswaram on Friday, demanding the release of 14 fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of poaching and protesting against the Centre’s directive to paint the trawlers in green colour.

 

Led by Ramanathapuram east district president A Ravichandra Ramavanni, a large number of party volunteers and the fisherfolk, including family members of the 14 arrested fishermen, urged the State and Central governments to secure their release and their confiscated boats.

 

Ramavanni said after the Lankan navy confiscated more than 80 trawlers since June last year, Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena ordered their release in a goodwill gesture, but 19 of the boats could not be salvaged as they had suffered extensive damage due to months of neglect in the Lankan ports.