The five Indian fishermen serving a death sentence in drug smuggling case will reach home on Thursday. The fishermen were released on Wednesday by Sri Lankan government.
The decision came a few days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Sri Lankan President where they agreed to transfer the fishermen to an Indian jail.
“PM Modi spoke to President Rajapaksa and the latter decided to pardon the five Indian fishermen facing death sentence. It if for the Lankan President to say whether it’s a fallout of conversation with PM Modi or not. We don’t call it a pardon for Indian fishermen, we call it reduction of sentence,” Sri Lankan Minister Senthil Thondaman was quoted as saying shortly ahead of their release.
All five men were apprehended in 2011 and held guilty of drug trafficking.
A few days back, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa had assured India that he was ready to pardon the five Indian fishermen, a statement issued by Minister Prabha Ganesan confirmed the Indian High Commission officials in Colombo.
Calling it an achievement of the Central government, BJP leader GVL Narasimha said that the announcement is heart warming and was only possible due to the efforts made by the Centre. Besides him, another BJP leader Nalin Kohli said that India’s voice is being taken seriously ever since Modi became PM.
Meanwhile, DMK leader TKS Elangovan said that the party has already appreciated the efforts made by the Prime Minister in the release of the fishermen.
“I’m very happy that these fishermen have been released,” said DMK chief M Karunanidhi.