Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu), Mar 3 (Reporter) The mechanized boat fishermen of Rameswaram and their families, who were observing a ‘sit-in-protest’ for the fourth consecutive day at Thangachimadam in Rameswaram to condemn the frequent arrests of Tamil Nadu fisher folk and impounding of their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy, resorted to a novel agitation on Monday by holding ‘Thiruvodu’ (Begging bowls) seeking alms to highlight their plight. The fishermen were demanding the Union Government to take up the protracted issue with the Sri Lankan government and ensure that the Lankan maritime forces should exercise restraint in attacking, arresting and impounding fishing boats of them. They were also demanding immediate release of all the arrested fishermen and their boats, besides to restore the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishers in the Palk StraiT. They vowed to continue their protest until the Centre assures that their demands would be fulfilled. A section of fishermen were also demanding that the Indian government should cancel the 1974 Indo-Sri Lankan agreement and retrieve the Katchatheevu Islet ceded to Lanka to put an end to the ordeal of our fishermen. Though the agreement permits fishermen of both the countries to fish around Katchatheevu islet and dry their fishing nets, the Sri Lankan government denied permission to Indian fishermen. Despite the hard stance of Sri Lanka, the successive Indian governments had failed to take up the issue with the Island nation and restore our fishermen rights, they alleged. Meanwhile, the indefinite strike being observed by the mechanized boat fishermen of Rameswaram had entered 8th day today. The Federation of All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association had given an indefinite strike call, after the Sri Lankan Navy detained 32 fishermen from Rameswaram and confiscated their five mechanized fishing boats on February 23. The strike had severely affected the livelihood of more than 10,000 people, including fisher folk and others depending on the fishing industry in Rameswaram, besides resulting in huge loss of foreign exchange to the government exchequer, as several tones of marine species were exported to various South-Asian countries from Rameswaram via Thoothukudi and Chennai harbours. Official sources said 4,000-odd fishermen were abstaining from fishing activities leaving over 700 registered mechanized fishing trawlers anchored in the Rameswaram fishing jetty...////...