The Tamil Nadu Meeting on Wednesday unanimously handed a decision urging the Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu Island, ceded to Sri Lanka, as a everlasting answer to guard the normal fishing rights of the state’s fishermen.
Transferring the decision, Chief Minister M Okay Stalin stated that it has change into a behavior for some political events to unfold a false data marketing campaign that it was the state authorities that ceded Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. “Even the Union authorities is making the identical mistake. That is regrettable and unacceptable,” he stated.
So far as Katchatheevu was involved, then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi strongly opposed ceding it and even the DMK MPs, then, objected.
A day after the Katchatheevu Settlement was signed on June 28, 1974, Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) convened an all-party assembly and handed a decision condemning it. On the identical day, he wrote a letter to then Prime Minister expressing “deep disappointment over the Indo-Sri Lanka Settlement,” Stalin stated.
Additionally, he identified that former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa handed Meeting resolutions on October 3, 1991, and on Could 3, 2013, and O Panneerselvam, too, handed a decision throughout his tenure on Could 5, 2014, calling for steps to retrieve Katchatheevu.
After turning into chief minister in 2021, he not solely prevailed upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get again the island but in addition wrote letters on quite a few events to make sure a long-lasting answer to the fishermen’s issues.
Stalin stated on a median two fishermen had been being arrested every day by the Sri Lankan navy if one glided by the statistics offered by Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on March 27 within the Rajya Sabha that 97 Indian fishermen had been in Lankan jail.
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“Final 12 months alone, about 530 fishermen had been apprehended by the Sri Lanka Navy,” the chief minister added.
A coverage be aware on Fisheries division tabled within the Meeting stated from 2021 to 2025 (upto March 27, 2025), 1,383 fishermen had been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy.
“Because of the decisive efforts taken by this authorities, 1,287 fishermen have been launched and repatriated. Steady efforts are being taken by the Tamil Nadu authorities to launch and repatriate the remaining 96 fishermen and 229 fishing boats which might be within the custody of Sri Lankan authorities,” it stated.
The decision, piloted by CM Stalin, was handed after an intense debate within the Meeting. Stating that there was no deviation from the BJP’s stand on Katchatheevu since former Prime Minister A B Jajpayee’s instances, BJP member Vanathi Srinivasan stated her occasion supported the decision however sought to know why the DMK missed the chance to get again the island when it shared energy with the Congress-led UPA authorities for ten years. She additionally claimed that then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was conscious of the developments.
At this, Chief of the Home Duraimurugan stated Karunanidhi staunchly opposed ceding the islet. Legislation Minister S Reghupaty stated “Kalaignar was neither consulted by the Centre on the problem nor did he give his consent.” Congress chief Okay Selvaperunthagai claimed that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s contribution was being hid.
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“Although solely 285 acres of Katchatheevu was ceded to Lanka, she obtained 4,600 sq km of Wedge Financial institution to India,” he stated and backed the federal government decision.
Chief of the Opposition, Edappadi Okay Palaniswami, criticised the DMK for doing treasured little on the topic regardless of being in energy for a decade within the UPA regime. “Our chief J Jayalalithaa handed the Meeting resolutions and even approached the Supreme Courtroom on the problem,” he stated.
At this, the chief minister replied, “I had acknowledged her position. However what did you do when your occasion was in energy for ten years within the state? This can be a severe challenge regarding the welfare of our fishermen. I request you to restrict your views to the decision and lengthen assist because the BJP member had finished, and chorus from politics.”
Following this, Palaniswami stated, “Katchatheevu is an emotional challenge and as this decision seeks to retrieve it and restore our (fishing) rights, we assist the decision.” The decision stated the “retrieval of Katchatheevu island is the one everlasting answer to guard the normal fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen and to mitigate the sufferings confronted by them because of the Sri Lankan Navy.
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“Contemplating the above, this august Home unanimously urges the Union Authorities to right away evaluation the Indo-Sri Lankan settlement and take all steps to retrieve Katchatheevu island; and urges the Honourable Prime Minister of India, to carry talks with the Sri Lankan Authorities to get all our imprisoned fishermen launched together with their boats on a goodwill foundation, throughout his official go to to Sri Lanka,” it additional stated.
Katchatheevu was ceded by India to Sri Lanka by means of agreements in 1974 and 1976.