No tangible effort to retrieve Katchchatheevu by three consecutive BJP governments, charges T.N. CM Stalin

Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin criticizes BJP government for not retrieving Katchchatheevu, urges lasting solution for fishermen issue.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, rejected the claim that there was an agreement between the Union and the State governments over the ceding of Katchchatheevu to neighbouring Sri Lanka, and further criticised the BJP government for not having taken steps to retrieve the islet.

Mr. Stalin made these remarks in his letter to Union Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar, who had, in his communication, contended that the genesis of the Katchchatheevu issue went back to 1974 following an understanding between the then Union and the Tamil Nadu government then.

A copy of Mr. Stalin’s letter was shared with the media.

“Despite the fact that the BJP led government is in power for the third consecutive term, no tangible and meaningful effort has been taken to retrieve the island except for using the issue as an election time rhetoric! The need of the hour is to ease the problems faced by the fishermen of Tamil Nadu and to find a lasting solution to this festering problem,” Mr. Stalin contended.

Referring to the contentions made by Mr. Jaishankar in his communication dated June 29, Mr. Stalin said: “The DMK-led State government opposed the Katchatheevu Agreement tooth and nail and its opposition to the same was made clear both in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the Parliament.

It was well known that the State government “was not properly consulted in this regard”, Mr. Stalin wrote and further underlined: “It is the Union government that ceded the island to Sri Lanka completely, jeopardising and depriving the rights and interests of Indian fishermen.”

Mr. Stalin further recalled that the late DMK president and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had filed a sworn-in affidavit before the Supreme Court of India and categorically stated that “When the entire exercise undertaken by Government are devoid of constitutionality, it cannot be said the sovereignty of Katchatheevu island is a settled matter”.