Katchatheevu Island, once again, is in the spotlight, igniting tensions between the Dravidian and anti-Dravidian factions. But what is the full story behind this dispute? Why is both the BJP and Congress entangled in this issue? Let’s delve into everything…
Katchatheevu Row:
To begin with, in 1974, the Indira Gandhi government struck a deal with Sri Lanka regarding the Katchatheevu Island. Under this agreement, the Indian government recognized this island as part of Sri Lanka’s territory.
During a recent interview, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted Congress, alleging that they had handed over Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. He shared a report stating that people are enraged against Congress. BJP has also accused DMK of not taking any action to reclaim Katchatheevu Island. PM Modi claimed that DMK is also responsible for handing over the island to Sri Lanka.
It’s worth noting that the report mentioned refers to an RTI filed by Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai, revealing how the island was given to Sri Lanka during 1974.
PM Modi accused that efforts were made to compromise India’s unity and integrity, and Congress’ way of working has been the same for 75 years.
Information gathered suggests that Katchatheevu Island, located in the southern part of the Indian Ocean, spread across 285 acres between India’s Rameswaram and Sri Lanka, witnesses volcanic eruptions daily, making it uninhabitable. Before independence, this island was part of India, but it came under Sri Lanka’s control after 1974.
Media sources suggest that this dispute has been ongoing for years, especially concerning Tamil Nadu’s fishermen who often inadvertently cross into Sri Lanka’s waters, leading to their arrest and seizure of boats. This issue has caused significant distress to the fishermen. Hence, BJP has raised this issue again.
The Katchatheevu Island has always been a contentious issue between former Chief Ministers M. Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa. The issue of reclaiming Katchatheevu Island has been a subject of intense debate among stalwarts of Dravidian politics, with Tamil fishermen facing constant arrests and harassment. Jayalalithaa had once pledged to retrieve the island to alleviate the fishermen’s plight, whereas her party blamed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for not doing anything to stop it.
The available information has been sourced from prominent media agencies…
