CM passes resolution in the assembly to retrieve Katchatheevu

Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the central government to take action to retrieve Katchatheevu island. The resolution was passed unanimously with the support of all parties, including the BJP.
Addressing the assembly, Stalin said, "Even though the government has changed in Sri Lanka, the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen does not change. Since the central government is forgetting that Tamil Nadu fishermen are Indian fishermen, I would like to emphasize that the Tamil Nadu fishermen who are arrested are Indian fishermen."
Before the 2014 parliamentary election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured that not a single Tamil Nadu fisherman would be arrested if the BJP came to power. But the attacks continue till today.
"Our fishermen, who have traditional fishing rights, are constantly being arrested by the Sri Lankan navy, and their boats are being confiscated. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has informed Parliament that 97 Indian fishermen are in Sri Lankan jails. He also said that 530 people were arrested in 2024. According to his statistics, an average of two fishermen are arrested per day."
"It is worrying that the neighboring Sri Lankan government and navy are acting without any mercy towards Indian fishermen, crushing their livelihood and even completely taking it away. This is condemnable. The central government should take action to resolve this issue."
"As the Chief Minister, I have written 54 letters to the External Affairs Minister and the Prime Minister, emphasizing this. I have also raised this issue whenever I meet the Prime Minister in person."
"Whenever I write letters, Sri Lanka acts as if the fishermen arrested from Sri Lanka are being released and then arrested again. I would like to emphasize through this assembly that the permanent solution to this issue is to recover Katchatheevu island."
"It has become a habit for political parties to campaign as if the state government gave away the island. However, it is regrettable and unacceptable for the central government to do the same thing that political parties do for political gain."
Therefore, I propose a resolution that 'the central government should review the India-Sri Lanka agreement to retrieve Katchatheevu and take all necessary steps to retrieve Katchatheevu, he said, adding that the Prime Minister, who is on a state visit to Sri Lanka, should talk to the Sri Lankan government and take steps to restore the Indian fishermen and their boats languishing in Sri Lankan jails on a goodwill basis.
“I request that this resolution be implemented in the interest of the fishermen," stated Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. All the parties including the BJP supported the resolution.
When the speaker put forth the question regarding the resolution to Vanathi Srinivasan, commotion arose in the House. She said that the BJP supports the resolution brought by the Chief Minister.
Subsequently, the resolution was passed unanimously with the support of all parties.

AIADMK, DMK engage in heated debate

AIADMK and DMK are engaged in a heated debate in the Assembly over the Katchatheevu issue. Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami questioned the Chief Minister MK Stalin regarding the actions taken to retrieve Katchatheevu since the formation of government.
In response, Stalin said, "Did you insist on the recovery of Katchatheevu with Prime Minister Modi during your visit to New Delhi? What did you do during the 10 years of AIADMK rule on the Katchatheevu issue? I have written 54 letters and have personally met the Union External Affairs Minister and insisted on it."