Katchatheevu row: Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin revealed that the state had passed a resolution to retrieve Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka.
“We have already passed a resolution seeking retrieval of Katchatheevu (from Sri Lanka),” Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin told ANI.
The Deputy Chief Minster’s statement ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka.
PM Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka
PM Modi landed in Bangkok to visit Thailand to participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit on Thursday morning. Modi will proceed on a state visit to Sri Lanka from Thailand. PM Modi is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from April 4 to April 6.
“At the invitation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, I am departing today for Thailand on an official visit and to attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit,” PM Modi said in his departure statement.
What is the Katchatheevu island issue?
Katchatheevu, a tiny island in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka, has been a point of political contention in Tamil Nadu. The issue has frequently hit the headlines, especially during the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
Katchatheevu island is a disputed area that was ceded to Sri Lanka by the Congress government headed by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi through the 1974 “Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement.” During the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 campaign, the BJP led by PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the Opposition Congress and the DMK for “callously” giving away the strategic island to Sri Lanka.
PM Modi earlier also mentioned that the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi, had given consent to the agreement despite the DMK’s public stand against the deal.
Why is Katchtheevu important for Tamil Nadu?
Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu often face punitive action from the Sri Lankan authorities. In 2024, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed that at least 6,184 Indian fishermen have been detained in the last 20 years. Meanwhile, DMK said earlier that the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi-led Congress government had ignored its views before the agreement was signed with Sri Lanka.
