New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of death penalty of five Indian fishermen talked to the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa on Sunday. Notify that heavy protest had been sparked in Tamil Nadu over the death penalty to them.
The five – Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath and J Langlet – were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court on October 30 on charges of drug trafficking.
Spokesperson of Lankan President Mohan Samaranayake said, “The talks were centred around the five Indian fishermen’s issue but as of now I don’t know any other details.”
Political parties in the state including MDMK – an ally of the ruling NDA at the Centre – have accused the Centre of doing little.
Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had raised apprehensions over whether the fishermen had received a fair trial in a letter to the Prime Minister.
MDMK chief Vaiko had alleged that the case against the fishermen was “fabricated” and said, that the PM should intervene strongly through diplomatic channels to secure the release of the convicted Indians.
Meanwhile Sri Lankan government agreed to transfer all the five convicts to Indian jail after Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened in the matter and spoke to the Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday tweeted, “The breakthrough happened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped in and spoke to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.”
He tweeted, “Namo and Rajapaksa spoke on the phone yesterday&agreed to process papers & transfer 5 fishermen convicted to Indian jail. I am vindicated!”
Bureau Report
Leave a Reply