Katchatheevu Handover Row Erupts in Tamil Nadu Assembly
Tamil Nadu Assembly witnesses heated debate over Katchatheevu's 1974 handover to Sri Lanka, with ruling TVK accusing DMK of consent.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed heated exchanges on Wednesday over the 1974 handover of Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ministers accused the then DMK government, led by M. Karunanidhi, of failing to prevent the cession of the 285-acre uninhabited island in the Palk Strait.
The debate arose during discussions on demands for grants for the Fisheries and Fisheries Welfare departments. DMK MLA Katharbatcha Muthuramalingam highlighted the ongoing plight of Tamil Nadu fishermen, who face arrests and vessel confiscation by the Sri Lankan Navy under a recent Sri Lankan law.
Water Resources Minister N. Anand triggered objections from DMK members by asserting that the DMK had "given away" Katchatheevu. DMK Whip E.V. Velu countered, stating the island was handed over based on a decision by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and that Karunanidhi had opposed it. He noted that the Assembly had repeatedly passed resolutions seeking the island's retrieval.
Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar questioned the DMK's inaction, citing the 1960 Berubari Union case where West Bengal Chief Minister B.C. Roy successfully challenged a similar territorial transfer in the Supreme Court. Kumar alleged that Foreign Secretary Kewal Singh had discussed the matter with Karunanidhi twice, and that Karunanidhi's consent was obtained, even under threat of legal cases. Velu strongly refuted these claims as "incorrect."
AIADMK MLA Thalavai Sundaram recalled that Jayalalithaa had filed a Supreme Court case in 2008 over Katchatheevu, but the state government failed to file a counter-affidavit until 2011, while the Union government submitted one asserting Sri Lankan ownership. He alleged partiality by the then Congress-DMK central government.
Congress floor leader Tharahai Cuthbert defended the 1974 agreement, noting that India secured the resource-rich Wadge Bank (25 lakh acres) in exchange for Katchatheevu, questioning why this aspect is not discussed.