Katchatheevu row: Sri Lanka says India’s remarks not unusual during polls

Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda has said the statements from some political leaders in India on “reclaiming” Kacchatheevu from the island nation have “no ground”. He also said it was not “unusual” to hear claims and counterclaims about the strategic island due to election campaigning in India.

The remarks from Devananda, a Sri Lankan Tamil, came days after the Narendra Modi-led Government accused the Congress and its ally DMK in Tamil Nadu of overlooking national interests in handing over Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka in 1974.

“It is election time in India, it is not unusual to hear such noises of claims and counterclaims about Kacchatheevu,” Devananda told reporters in Jaffna on Thursday.

“I think India is acting on its interests to secure this place to ensure Sri Lankan fishermen would not have any access to that area and that Sri Lanka should not claim any rights in that resourceful area,” Devananda said, adding that such statements on “reclaiming” Kacchatheevu from Sri Lanka’s hold has “no ground”.

According to the 1974 agreement, Devananda said, Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen could go fishing in the territorial waters of both countries until the pact was reviewed and amended in 1976.

The amended agreement resulted in fishermen from both countries being barred from fishing in neighbouring waters. “There claims to be a place called Wadge Bank which is located below Kanyakumari. It is a much bigger area with extensive sea resources. It is 80 times bigger than Kachchatheevu and India secured it at the 1976 review agreement.”

On Thursday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) steered clear of the row surrounding Katchatheevu Island.

To a volley of questions on the Katchatheevu issue, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent comments on the matter.

“I would like to tell you that on the issues that have been raised, the External Affairs Minister has spoken to the press here in Delhi and also in Gujarat clarifying all the issues,” he said.

“I would suggest that you please look at his press engagements. You will get your answers there,” he added.

On April 1, Jaishankar claimed that Prime Ministers from the Congress displayed indifference about Katchatheevu Island and gave away Indian fishermen’s rights despite legal views to the contrary.

He said that in the last 20 years, as many as 6,184 Indian fishermen have been detained by Sri Lanka and 1,175 Indian fishing vessels have been seized, detained or apprehended. “This is the background of the issue that we are discussing,” the Minister stated. (Source India Today)