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The ‘ceding’ of Katchatheevu, a 285-acre uninhabited island situated between India and Sri Lanka, in the Palk Bay, by the Congress government in 1974, has remained a contentious issue in Tamil Nadu (TN) politics. It is particularly apparent in the context of the attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, leading to their arrest and even custodial torture.
With the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in power in Tamil Nadu when the Indira Gandhi government recognised Sri Lankan sovereignty over the island, the AIADMK has in the past accused the DMK of giving away the rights of Tamil fishermen.
The DMK, however, maintains that it had opposed the Centre’s move and ensured clauses were included to protect the fishing rights of TN fishermen and the right to pilgrimage to a shrine on the island. However, a 1976 agreement, signed during the Emergency, when the DMK government was dismissed, overturned these provisions, or so it claims.
A century-old dispute
In 1921, India and Sri Lanka, both British colonies, claimed Katchatheevu, which is nearly 1.6 km in length and over 300 m wide at its broadest point. A survey marked the island to Sri Lanka, which India disputed. In 1974, Indira Gandhi attempted to settle the maritime border, ceding the island to Sri Lanka for better bilateral relations.
An agreement in 1976, during the Emergency, barred both the countries from fishing in each other’s Exclusive Economic Zone. But uncertainty remained over Katchatheevu as it is situated at the edge of either country’s EEZs.
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Reviving island debate
With Tamil Nadu gearing up for polls on April 19 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) keen to make inroads in that state, the matter captured national attention on Sunday when PM Narendra Modi shared a newspaper article on social media platform ‘X’, highlighting the Congress’ decision to transfer the island to Sri Lanka. The report based on RTI replies received by BJP’s TN unit chief, K Annamalai, suggests that the Congress leadership did not accord any strategic importance to Katchatheevu.
Twisting history
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP of twisting and distorting history. He posted on ‘X’ that in 1974, the Sirima Bandaranaike-Indira Gandhi Pact allowed the repatriation of 600,000 Tamil people from Sri Lanka to India. “In a single move, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi secured human rights and dignity for six lakh hitherto stateless people,” he said.
Ramesh also pointed out that Congress supported the Modi government’s Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, which gave up 17,161 acres of Indian territory while receiving only 7,110 acres. He said the real threat to the integrity of the nation has been the large-scale encroachment of the Chinese Army on Indian territory in the last few years.
However, the BJP is set to up the ante on the issue, and put pressure on the Congress and DMK, which are allies in TN.
