Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly condemned the decision made by the Congress government in the 1970s to hand over the strategically important Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka.
In response to a recent Right to Information (RTI) report that revealed this information, PM Modi accused the Congress party of weakening India’s integrity and interests.
He stated that the report was “eye-opening and startling” and further emphasized that the Congress party could not be trusted. This decision by the Congress has sparked anger among the Indian people and has reaffirmed their lack of trust in the party.
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Katchatheevu Island holds great importance for the fishermen of Tamil Nadu, particularly those from districts like Rameshwaram.
Due to the depletion of fish in Indian waters, these fishermen cross the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) to reach the island. However, they often face detainment by the Sri Lankan navy.
The decision to hand over Katchatheevu Island was made by the Congress government without considering the impact it would have on the livelihoods of these fishermen.
The decision to hand over Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka was conveyed to the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi by the Foreign Secretary Kewal Singh in June 1974.
Singh mentioned the zamindari rights of the Raja of Ramnad and the failure of Sri Lanka to provide evidence supporting its claim over Katchatheevu.
However, Singh also acknowledged Sri Lanka’s strong position on the matter, citing historical records such as Dutch and British maps that showed the island as part of the Kingdom of Jaffnapatnam.
It is important to note that Sri Lanka had been asserting its sovereignty over Katchatheevu since 1925, even during the pre-independence period when it was known as Ceylon.
Additionally, Attorney MC Setalvad’s opinion in 1970 supported Sri Lanka’s claim over the island. Setalvad stated that Katchatheevu “was and is with Sri Lanka and not India.”
The British East India Company had granted the zamindari rights for maintaining Katchatheevu and its fisheries to the Raja of Ramnad.
Following the abolition of zamindari rights in 1948, these rights were vested in the state of Madras. However, the Raja of Ramnad continued to exercise his zamindari rights independently without paying taxes to Sri Lanka.
In contrast to the current criticism from PM Modi, India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, dismissed the issue of Katchatheevu Island as “inconsequential” in May 1961.
This dismissal came after the Indian Navy was denied permission by the Ceylon Air Force to conduct exercises on the island. According to the RTI report, the Ministry of External Affairs believed that India had a strong legal case and could leverage it to secure fishing rights on the island.
The handover of Katchatheevu Island has been a significant topic during Tamil Nadu’s Lok Sabha campaigns due to concerns regarding sovereignty and geopolitical implications.
The decision has had a direct impact on the livelihoods of fishermen from both India and Sri Lanka who rely on the waters around Katchatheevu for their fishing activities.
In recent years, Indian fishermen, predominantly from Tamil Nadu, have frequently been detained by the Sri Lankan navy, further exacerbating tensions.
