Sri Lanka Crisis: Tamil Nadu Ready To Provide Rice, Pulses & Medical Aid To SL Tamils, Stalin Tells Centre

On Thursday, Stalin also brought Tamil Nadu fishermen's crisis to the notice of the Minister. 

TN CM Stalin | Credit: Twitter/@mkstalin

Chennai: Tamil Nadu is ready to send rice, pulses and other aid to Sri Lankan Tamils, said TN Chief Minister MK Stalin during a phone call with Union External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Thursday. The CM also said that his government will send the aid through Thoothukudi port. 

In a press release on Thursday, Stalin said, "Amid the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, there are many Tamils residing in the north and western province of the island country and its capital Colombo. Hence, Tamil Nadu is ready to send rice, pulses and live-saving medicines via Thoothukudi port as a humanitarian gesture."

The Chief Minister also requested the Union External Minister to provide permission and make arrangements to distribute the items to Colombo and Jaffna Tamils through Indian embassy. 

On Thursday, Stalin also brought Tamil Nadu fishermen's crisis to the notice of the Minister. The CM told the Minister that Tamil Nadu fishermen are regularly attacked, arrested and sent to prison in Sri Lanka. 

Expressing sorrow and disappointment over the issue, Stalin said, the union government should swiftly act to help with the release of Sri Lankan fishermen and their impounded boats. 

Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan court told 12 Tamil Nadu fishermen who were arrested for reportedly crossing International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) to pay Rs 1 crore for bail. After the issue came to light, Rameshwaram Fishermen Association condemned the court order.