Chennai: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has accused Prime Ministers from the Congress of showing indifference towards the Katchatheevu island issue and relinquishing Indian fishermen’s rights despite legal opinions suggesting otherwise.
Addressing a press conference today, Jaishankar asserted that the issue of Katchatheevu, which was ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974 as part of a maritime boundary agreement, has always been a live matter and not a recent development.
Jaishankar criticized past Prime Ministers, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, for downplaying the significance of Katchatheevu by referring to it as a “little island” or a “little rock.” He emphasized that the issue has been raised repeatedly in Parliament and has been a subject of frequent correspondence between the central government and the state government. Jaishankar disclosed that he has responded to the Chief Minister’s queries on the matter at least 21 times.
Attacking the DMK for its public stance against the agreement, Jaishankar accused the party of being complicit with the Congress in the decision-making process. He alleged that the DMK, led by then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, was fully aware of the agreement reached in 1974 between India and Sri Lanka.
Highlighting the plight of Indian fishermen detained by Sri Lanka, Jaishankar revealed that 6,184 fishermen and 1,175 fishing vessels have been seized by the neighboring country over the past 20 years. He credited the Narendra Modi government for its efforts in securing the release of Indian fishermen and stressed the need for dialogue with the Sri Lankan government to find a lasting solution to the issue.
Jaishankar expressed concern over the misinformation spread among the people of Tamil Nadu regarding the Katchatheevu issue and reiterated his commitment to informing the masses about the facts.
Responding to the remarks, senior DMK leader RS Bharathi said the Prime Minister has “no achievements” to showcase . “If PM Modi was keen on Katchatheevu, he could have reclaimed that island during his 10 years in office. Why did not he take up the Katchatheevu issue?” Bharathi said.