Political controversy illuminates remote Katchatheevu island

PTC News Desk: The political arena directs its attention to the secluded Katchatheevu island, sparking discussions ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu. Amidst the daily hustle and bustle of Tamil Nadu's Rameshwaram, a spirited discourse emerges around Katchatheevu island, located merely 16 nautical miles away, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks attributing its cession to Sri Lanka in 1974 to the Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (led by Indira Gandhi and M. Karunanidhi, respectively).

Edison Aruldas, born the same year the island was ceded, has been accompanying his father on fishing trips around Katchatheevu since he was six. He reminisces about a time when interactions with the Sri Lankan navy at sea were less hostile, recalling moments of sharing bread and jam with navy officers. However, he notes that tensions escalated following the anti-Tamil riots in Sri Lanka in 1981, leading to a violent ethnic conflict that endured for three decades until 2009, culminating in the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who advocated for Tamil statehood in Sri Lanka.

For Edison and his fellow fishermen, the issue of who ceded the uninhabited island five decades ago is now of little consequence. It has not been a prominent election topic in Tamil Nadu, where the local economy relies heavily on fishing and related activities. Despite its proximity to Rameshwaram, a Hindu pilgrimage site, which was also a significant stop for Prime Minister Modi before the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January, Katchatheevu's significance remains minimal in the electoral landscape.

"The essence of enjoyment for us lies in safely accessing the island, a privilege we no longer have. We face attacks, arrests, and the confiscation of our boats. We demand the restoration of our fishing rights in Katchatheevu," asserts fisherman S Dominic. Questioning the Bharatiya Janata Party's stance on retrieving Katchatheevu, which could potentially restore fishing rights for Indians, fishermen raise concerns over why this hasn't been pursued in the past decade.

"If the BJP can bring back our arrested fishermen and boats before April 19, we are willing to support them," adds Edison, recounting incidents of aggression, including an encounter where Prime Minister Modi's boat was targeted by the Lankan navy in 2014.

Emiric Sesupattiyam, President of the Fishermen’s Association, highlights the plight of fishermen, with hundreds of boats caught in Lanka and several fishermen imprisoned on the island over the last decade. "Our main grievance is the retrieval of our boats and fishermen, not just rhetoric about Katchatheevu," emphasises fisherman J Sagayam, reflecting widespread frustration.

Amidst this, Rameshwaram, part of the Ramanathapuram constituency, witnesses a political tussle as former AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) seeks political relevance, contesting independently with BJP support. Facing the challenge of distinguishing himself from namesakes and battling against accusations of voter confusion tactics by AIADMK led by Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS), OPS endeavors to establish his independent symbol, the jackfruit, among voters. While OPS remains silent on Katchatheevu, his rival EPS, who parted ways with the BJP last September, criticises the national party's handling of the issue.

Former AIADMK chief minister J Jayalalithaa initiated a case in the Supreme Court in 2008 to reclaim Katchatheevu, stated EPS, noting that the case is still pending. "Over the past decade, the BJP government failed to take action to reclaim Katchatheevu. Now, they are raising it for political gain ahead of the elections," EPS criticised, accusing the DMK-Congress and BJP while asserting that only the AIADMK genuinely advocated for the cause.

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Meanwhile, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin expressed concerns over misinformation regarding India's national security provided under the RTI to BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai. This information was cited by the BJP to argue that the UPA government's decision to cede the island to Sri Lanka compromised national interests. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on April 1, highlighted that the RTI indicated the DMK, led by Karunanidhi, was consulted and inclined to accept the island's transfer, albeit refraining from a public stance due to political considerations.

Stalin, on April 2, criticised earlier RTIs on Katchatheevu, highlighting the BJP government's failure to provide answers, citing the matter as sub judice pending before the Supreme Court. "In 2015, the BJP regime claimed that Katchatheevu was never a part of India, based on information provided by S Jaishankar, the then foreign secretary," Stalin pointed out, questioning the sudden shift in stance. Jaishankar had previously rebutted opposition allegations of politicising the issue ahead of elections, maintaining its significance in public discourse.

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(Inputs from agencies)