New Delhi, 10 June, 2014

Call it over enthusiasm or wrong details in hand, BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy today in Lok Sabha said Sri Lanka and Pakistan not only released Indian fishermen but their boats too after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath. Rudy’s this claim attracted uproar in house from opposition benches.

Rudy’s statement was actually wrong. Yes fishermen are released by both Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but their boats worth crores are not released by either country.

While releasing Indian fishermen recently, Sri Lanka had clarified that as per its policy boats are not to be released. Similarly Pakistan also released Indian fishermen, but without their boats. Several years ago, Pakistan used to release Indian fishermen via sea route with their boats. Later Pakistan changed its decision and started sending back Indian fishermen who completed their term via Wagah border, keeping their boats in Pakistan only.

Each fishing boat captured by Pakistan roughly costs over Rs. 1.5 million. It is good that after Mr. Modi sworn in there’s not a single incident of boat capturing off Gujarat coast. It is also good that Pakistan released 151 Indian fishermen after Shri Modi took oath. It is good that India released more than 30 Pakistani prisoners after Shri Modi took oath. It is good that Sri Lanka released all Indian fishermen in its jail twice or thrice after Shri Modi took oath. But the issue of boats is yet to be resolved.