Katchatheevu Row: What is Katchatheevu Island dispute?

Katchatheevu Row: Katchatheevu Island is once again in the public eye. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently cornered Congress and DMK regarding this matter. In such a situation, this matter has become a national issue through the politics of Tamil Nadu. Let us tell you that this is also the reason for the dispute between DMK and AIADMK. But, what is this whole matter? Why is BJP entangling both Congress and DMK in this matter? Let us know everything…

First of all, let us tell you that in the year 1974, Indira Gandhi government had signed an agreement with Sri Lanka on the Katchatheevu Island issue. Under this agreement, the Indian government considered this island as a part of Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister of the current government Narendra Modi cornered Congress during an interview and while sharing the report said that it has now become known how Congress had given Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. He said that there is anger in the minds of people against Congress.
BJP has also accused DMK that the government has not done anything to bring back Katchatheevu island. PM said that DMK also had a hand in giving this island to Sri Lanka.
Let us tell you that the report mentioned has come out regarding the RTI filed by Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai, in which it has been told how this island was handed over to the neighboring country in 1974 by the then Indira Gandhi government.
PM Modi has alleged that an attempt was made to destroy the unity and integrity of India and this has been the way of working of the Congress Party for 75 years.
Be aware that Katchatheevu Island is situated at the southern end of the Indian Ocean. This island, spread over 285 acres, located between Rameshwaram, India and Sri Lanka, has volcanic eruptions every day, hence no one lives here. Before independence, this island was a part of India which is under the control of Sri Lanka after 1974.
If media sources are to be believed, there used to be disputes between India and Sri Lanka regarding this island. In 1974, to reduce this, two meetings were held between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo and Delhi.
In the meeting, India had claimed the island as its own and also gave concrete evidence. He also said that this island was under the control of the king Namanad there. But, the then Indian Foreign Secretary said that Sri Lanka’s claim is also strong. After this Indira gave it as a gift to Sri Lanka.

Why did this matter arise?

Now if we talk about why there is controversy regarding this matter, then let us tell you that many times Indian fishermen cross the international border and enter the Sri Lankan border, after which the Sri Lankan government takes action against them and arrests them. And the boats are confiscated. Due to this, fishermen have to face a lot of problems. For this reason this issue has been raised again by BJP.

M. Karunanidhi and J. Always controversy between Jayalalitha

Late former Chief Ministers M. Karunanidhi and J. Katchatheevu island has always been a bone of contention for Jayalalithaa. The issue of taking back Katchatheevu along with the continued arrest and harassment of Tamil fishermen has been a subject of intense debate among the stalwarts of Dravidian politics. Jayalalitha had once pledged to reclaim the island to end the fishermen’s troubles and her party had always blamed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for doing nothing to stop it.

The available information has been taken from popular media agencies.,