Let us restore Katchatheevu and end the problems faced by our fishermen

The total area of Katchatheevu Island is 285 acres and 20 cents and is located 17 kms (12 nautical miles) from Rameswaram. Tamil fisher folks used to fish in the area surrounding Katchatheevu without any hindrance.
On June 28, 1974, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gifted the island to Sri Lanka that too without seeking Tamilnadu’s concurrence. Indian fishermen lost the rights to fish in the area. Conflicts over fishing rights began with the gifting of the island and have now emerged as the most vexing problem between Indiaand Sri Lanka defying solutions so far.

Against this background the demand for restoring Katchatheevu back to India is increasingly made. No political party is against this demand. Even the BJP which rules the centre has the restoration of Katchatheevu as its poll manifesto. A day back, C.P Radhakrishnan, one of the leaders of the BJP said that Katchatheevu will be restored soon.

Although the Sri Lankan Government dealt with Sri Lankan Tamils harshly, India gave a big helping hand on humanitarian basis to the country when it was caught in a worst economic crisis. It is time now for the Union Government takes steps to restore Katachatheevu which is coming in the way of good relations between the two countries.Tamilnadu Government must also take necessary steps. A resolution on this can be passed in the State Assembly and send it to the Union Government.

There are several evidences to prove that Katchatheevu belongs to India. Only when Katchatheevu is restored the problems faced by the Tamilnadu fishermen will end. The Union and Tamilnadu State Governments must take concerted action towards this.

Let us restore Katchatheevu for the wellbeing of our fishermen!