Tiny Sri Lankan island “Katchatheevu” sparks political debate in India

Just weeks before Lok Sabha Polls is set to begin, a tiny island in Sri Lanka, Katchatheevu, has sparked a political row in India.

Katchatheevu is a small, uninhabited island that is part of Sri Lanka, a strip of land spanning just about 1.9 sq km (0.7 sq miles) and is located in the Palk Strait, a stretch of ocean which divides India and Sri Lanka.

It lies to the northeast to Rameswaram town in India's Tamil Nadu state and to the southwest of Sri Lanka's Jaffna city.

The island has been claimed by rulers in both India and Sri Lanka since 1921, with British colonies at the time staking claim to fishing rights in the waters around Katchatheevu. 

But in 1974, India ended the dispute by relinquishing any claim over the island; two years later, India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement that prevented people from both countries from fishing in waters belonging to each other, reported the BBC.

In 1974, Indira Gandhi made attempts to settle the maritime border between India and Sri Lanka, once and for all.

As a part of this settlement, known as the ‘Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement’, Indira Gandhi ‘ceded’ Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. At the time, she thought the island had little strategic value and that ceasing India’s claim over the island would deepen its ties with its southern neighbour, reported the Indian Express.

The island is of importance as China looks to expand its footprint in the Indian Ocean Region and for thousands of Indian fishermen.

Recently, the island became part of the political debate following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tweet on X where he alleged that the then Congress government “callously” gave away Katchatheevu.

“Eye opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away #Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people’s minds — we can’t ever trust Congress!” he wrote on X.

The Congress has reacted strongly to Modi’s tweet and accused him of raking up the issue ahead of elections due to "desperation".

PM Modi cited a media report to assert that new facts reveal that the Congress Party “callously” gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan Cabinet spokesman said that the issue was not discussed so far as it was never raised.

“The Cabinet did not discuss it as it was never raised," Bandula Gunawardena, the Cabinet spokesman and minister of information told reporters on Tuesday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also slammed the Congress Party and ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over the Katchchatheevu island issue.

Jaishankar alleged that prime ministers from the Congress displayed indifference about Katchatheevu island as if they did not care and gave away Indian fishermen's rights despite legal views to the contrary.

Citing details of the agreements between India and Sri Lanka first in 1974 and then in 1976, he said a recurring theme is the indifference shown by the central government and prime ministers of the day about the territory of India.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has said that Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka to maintain good relations and to save the lives of lakhs of Tamils.

Chidambaram, a former Union Home Minister, wondered why the Prime Minister was raking up an issue that was settled in 1974.

The then-Indira Gandhi government, to maintain good relations with Sri Lanka and to help lakhs and lakhs of Tamils there, negotiated with the island nation's government. In return, six lakh Tamils were allowed to come to India.

"They have come here, their families are here, they have got full freedom, they are breathing free air. Their children and grandchildren are here. The issue was closed 50 years ago," Chidambaram said.

(with media inputs)