Chennai- In a compelling appeal to the Union Government, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has called for urgent and decisive action to address the increasing distress faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen and to reclaim the contentious Katchatheevu island.
In his detailed letter to the Union Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, Stalin highlighted the persistent challenges and historical grievances linked to this issue.
Stalin expressed grave concern over the surge in apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities. On July 1, the Sri Lankan Navy detained 25 fishermen along with two motorized country crafts, registered as IND-TN-10-MO-1379 and IND-TN-09-MO-2327, and two unregistered fishing boats.
Stalin remarked on the unprecedented increase in such incidents in recent weeks, calling attention to the immediate need for intervention. “I would like to bring to your immediate attention that there is an unprecedented increase in instances of apprehension of fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan authorities in recent weeks,” he stated.
Katchatheevu island is where Tamil Nadu’s fishermen in districts like Rameshwaram go since Indian waters are depleted of fish. The fishermen cross the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) to reach the island but get detained by Sri Lankan Navy.
The genesis of the Katchatheevu issue, Stalin explained, dates back to 1974, following an understanding between the then Union Government and the State Government. This agreement led to the ceding of Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka, a move that the DMK government vehemently opposed. Stalin emphasized that the State Government was not adequately consulted, and the agreement was seen as jeopardizing the rights and interests of Indian fishermen.
Stalin reminded Dr. Jaishankar of the DMK’s longstanding opposition to the Katchatheevu Agreement, both in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Parliament. He underscored that the late DMK President, Kalaignar Karunanidhi, had filed a sworn affidavit before the Supreme Court of India, stating, “When the entire exercise undertaken by Government is devoid of constitutionality, it cannot be said the sovereignty of Katchatheevu island is a settled matter.” This statement reflects the DMK’s firm stance that the ceding of the island was unconstitutional and detrimental to Indian interests.
Stalin expressed disappointment with the BJP-led Union Government, which is now in its third consecutive term, for not taking any meaningful steps to retrieve Katchatheevu island.
He accused the government of using the issue as election rhetoric without making tangible efforts to resolve it. “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 election-time rhetoric,” Stalin asserted.
In his letter, Stalin stressed the urgent need to ease the problems faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen and find a lasting solution to this “festering problem.” He urged the Union Government to take necessary concrete steps to uphold the traditional rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen. “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,” he wrote.
Stalin reiterated his request for Dr. Jaishankar to take immediate and decisive action. “Therefore, I reiterate my request to you to take necessary concrete steps to find a lasting solution to this vexatious issue so that the traditional rights of the Tamil Nadu fishermen are upheld,” he concluded.
The persistent and escalating issue of fishermen’s apprehension by Sri Lankan authorities, coupled with the unresolved Katchatheevu controversy, demands swift action to protect the livelihoods and traditional rights of Tamil Nadu’s fishing community.
In April 2024, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar criticized the Congress and Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK regarding the Katchatheevu island issue, citing that India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, considered the island insignificant and willingly ceded it. Jaishankar referenced a 1961 note where Nehru expressed his readiness to relinquish India’s claim on the island, viewing it as a nuisance. He emphasized that Nehru and later Prime Minister Indira Gandhi dismissed the island’s importance.
Jaishankar highlighted that Katchatheevu, measuring 1.6 km in length and over 300 m in width, was handed to Sri Lanka under the 1974 Indo-Sri Lankan maritime agreement. He also pointed out that fishing rights were surrendered in 1975 despite contrary legal opinions.
The issue, which has been significant in Tamil Nadu politics, resurfaced due to a media report based on an RTI response obtained by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai.
The minister accused the Congress of maintaining a dismissive stance towards Katchatheevu, even during Indira Gandhi’s tenure. He quoted MP G. Viswanathan from Tamil Nadu, who criticized the government for ignoring the island while worrying about other distant territories. Jaishankar argued that the DMK was fully aware and involved in the 1974 agreement and subsequent developments, thus sharing responsibility for the situation.
Jaishankar asserted that the current BJP-led government, under Narendra Modi, has been proactive in ensuring the release of Indian fishermen detained by Sri Lanka. He emphasized the need for a collaborative solution with the Sri Lankan government to resolve the ongoing issues.
Katchatheevu is a 285-acre uninhabited island located in the Palk Strait, which separates India and Sri Lanka. Measuring 1.6 km in length and just over 300 meters in width, the island is believed to have formed after a volcanic eruption in the 14th century.
It lies 33 km from the Indian coast and about 62 km southwest of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka.
The island features a Catholic church from the early 20th century, where priests and devotees from both India and Sri Lanka conduct religious services during an annual festival.
Historically, Katchatheevu was controlled by Sri Lanka’s Jaffna kingdom in the early medieval period, later passing to the Ramnad kingdom in India in the 17th century.
During British rule, it was part of the Madras Presidency. Since at least 1921, both India and Sri Lanka have claimed the island to determine maritime fishing boundaries.
In 1974, India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement demarcating their maritime boundary, placing Katchatheevu within Sri Lankan territorial waters by running the boundary one mile off the island's western coast. Despite this, the issue remains contentious in Tamil Nadu politics, primarily due to the frequent attacks and detention of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Political parties from Tamil Nadu challenged the decision in the Supreme Court. In 2013, the Union government stated that retrieving Katchatheevu was not an option since no Indian territory had been ceded to Sri Lanka.
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