Katchatheevu continues to haunt DMK, TN House passes resolution for its retrieval

More than half a century after the tiny rocky islet Katchatheevu in the Palk Strait was ceded to Sri Lanka, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a unanimous resolution demanding the Union government to retrieve it so as to protect the livelihood and traditional rights of Indian fishermen and secure the release of fishers still incarcerated in the island nation.

The resolution moved by Chief Minister MK Stalin received the support of all parties, including the BJP. Floor leaders of all parties spoke on retrieving the islet to protect the fishermen from being harassed and arrested by the island nation’s Navy, which also impounded their boats.

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The 285-acre barren, uninhabited islet, which has a shrine to St. Antony in the strategic Palk Strait, was ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974 in exchange for the marine and hydrocarbon-rich Wadge Bank down Kannyakumari. The issue continues to haunt the ruling DMK, as the party was in power under M Karunanidhi at the time.

According to the resolution, the retrieval of the islet alone could provide a lasting solution to safeguard the traditional fishing rights of the fishermen of Tamil Nadu’s southern coast. However, observers and the Lankan side maintain that the arrest of Indian fishermen by the Lankan Navy happens off Katchatheevu as the marine wealth on the Indian side has been depleted due to bottom trawling.

Referring to Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit to Sri Lanka on April 4 and 5, the resolution urged him to hold talks with Colombo to secure the release of all incarcerated fishermen along with their boats on a goodwill basis. Besides demanding that the Union government mitigate the sufferings of the fisherfolk, it emphasised the need to review the 1974 and 1976 pacts with Colombo and take steps to retrieve the islet.

While moving the resolution, Stalin said that despite the political change in Sri Lanka, there is no end in sight to the attacks on fishermen and accused New Delhi of forgetting that Tamil fishermen are also Indian fishermen and the state government had to repeatedly remind it. On the continued attacks on the fishermen, he said, “I have written 74 letters seeking intervention to prevent the attacks on our fishermen,” and asked whether fishermen from other states were arrested like this would their governments remain silent?

Referring to Modi’s remarks in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls that if the BJP formed the government, there would not be arrest of even a single fisherman, he said sadly, the attacks are continuing, A total of 530 fishermen were arrested by Lankan authorities and awarded jail term and enhanced penalty, he added.

Incidentally, a case filed by the late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the Supreme Court, seeking to annul the 1974 and 1976 pacts and retrieve Katchatheevu, is expected to come up for hearing shortly.