Katchatheevu Island
Katchatheevu Controversy: While there is a sharp row going over reclaiming of Katchatheevu Island from Sri Lanka Douglas Devanada, Sri Lankan minister of fisheries expressed himself. In the statement issued by the minister, he called the claims baseless and stated that they do not have any ground.
While campaigning in Karnataka, PM Modi started this row as he mentioned that Congress party gave the island to Sri Lanka without thinking about Indians and the fishermen of the area. He even questioned the reablility of the party and said that they cannot be trusted.
In response to the controversy, Devananda, the Sri Lankan minister, referenced the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in India, scheduled to commence on April 19. “It is election time there. So, it is not unusual to hear such noises of claims and counter-claims about Katchatheevu. The statements on ‘reclaiming’ Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka, have no ground,” he said.
The minister from New Delhi expressed the opinion that India aims to “secure this area” (the island) to prevent Sri Lankan fishermen from accessing it, and to ensure that Colombo does not assert any rights over that resource-rich region.
He also spoke about “West Bank,” an area “bigger than Katchatheevu.” Devananda said: “There claims to be a place called West Bank, which is located below Kanyakumari. It is a much bigger area with extensive sea resources. It is 80 times bigger than Katchatheevu…India secured it at the 1976 review agreement.”
Kanyakumari, situated in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state, is governed by the Congress ally DMK. The BJP has accused the DMK of showing indifference towards Katchatheevu. In retaliation, both parties have accused the Narendra Modi government of “misleading” the public and questioned its silence on the issue despite being in power for a decade.
India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, highlighted at a recent press conference that while the 1974 pact under the Congress government led by Indira Gandhi allowed Indian fishermen access to Katchatheevu without travel documents, an additional agreement signed in 1976 revoked this right.
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