“S. Jaishankar Reaffirms Nehru’s Disapproval in Katchatheevu Dispute”
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion regarding the Opposition’s stance on the Katchatheevu island dispute. He pointed out that Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, had expressed willingness to cede the island to Sri Lanka. The issue gained traction following a media report citing a RTI response received by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai regarding the 1974 agreement that designated the uninhabited island as Sri Lankan territory under an Indo-Sri Lankan maritime accord. The renewed attention on this matter coincides with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as the BJP seeks to address concerns regarding the harassment of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities, a significant issue in the state. However, neither Annamalai nor the newspaper has shared the RTI response, making independent verification of its contents and issuance date impossible for NDTV.
Former AIADMK leader and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa strongly criticized the DMK and Congress regarding the issue, demanding a perpetual lease from Sri Lanka granting fishing rights to Indian fishermen in Lankan waters. She also urged steps to reclaim the island.
Dr. Jaishankar, addressing the media, referenced former External Affairs Minister Swaran Singh’s 1974 parliamentary address, expressing confidence in the fairness of the maritime boundary agreement. However, he noted that within two years, another agreement was made, restricting Indian fishing vessels from certain Sri Lankan waters.
Dr. Jaishankar highlighted the consequences of this agreement, noting the detention of Indian fishermen and seizure of fishing vessels by Sri Lanka over the past two decades.
He emphasized that the Katchatheevu issue has been raised in Parliament repeatedly, with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister writing to him numerous times about it. He criticized the Congress and DMK for neglecting their responsibility in the matter.
India’s stance is that Katchatheevu belonged to the Raja of Ramnad and subsequently to the Madras government, while Sri Lanka claims historical ownership backed by records dating back to the 17th century.
After both India and Sri Lanka became independent, he said, there were issues between these countries about using this island. In 1974, Dr Jaishankar, said then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Mrs Gandhi spoke about this on the latter’s trip to India.
In 1958, then Attorney General MC Setalvad said in a legal opinion that while the matter is not free from difficulty, “the balance lies in favour of concluding that the sovereignty of the island was and is in India”, Dr Jaishankar said.
The key people, he said, were of the opinion that “we have a case” and felt that we must at least insist for fishing rights around the island. “The island was also given away in 1974 and the fishing rights in 1976,” he said.
“How did this happen has many aspects to it. One is the indifference shown by the central government and Prime Ministers of the day about the territory of India. The fact is, they simply did not care,” Dr Jaishankar said.
Quoting an observation by Prime Minister Nehru in May 1961, he said, “I attach no importance at all to this little island and I would have no hesitation in giving up our claim to it. I do not like matters like this pending indefinitely and being raised again and again in Parliament.”
“So, to Pandit Nehru, this was a little island, he saw it as a nuisance. For him, the sooner you give it away, the better,” the minister said.
This view, he said, continued in the Indira Gandhi era. Mrs Gandhi, he said, had remarked in a Congress meeting that this island was a “little rock”. “This dismissive attitude was the historic Congress attitude towards Katchatheevu.”
The External Affairs Minister’s press interaction came after Prime Minister Modi targeted the Congress for “callously” giving away the island to Lanka.
“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 said on X, sharing the report.” Sharing a media report that said Mrs Gandhi had taken then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi into confidence with regard to the decision on the island, the Prime Minister said DMK has “done nothing” to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests.
Congress’s Manickam Tagore hit back, calling the BJP’s charge on the issue a “diversionary tactic”. “The problem with BJP, RSS and PM Modi is that people are rejecting them in Tamil Nadu and they want a diversionary tactic… The government of India headed by Indira Gandhi signed an agreement called the Indira Gandhi-Sirimavo Bandaranaike agreement in that time to save 6 lakh Tamils and to save them, this island was given to the Sri Lankan government. We are very clear that if our fishermen are attacked, we will raise our voices to take back Katchatheevu Island. But, in 10 years, Prime Minister Modi has failed to do so. They will not get even one seat in Tamil Nadu by these cheap tactics,” he said.
DMK’s A Saravanan said the External Affairs Minister has said nothing new. “The question is why the BJP is raking up this issue now. Because they are scared, they know they are going to lose this election and in Tamil Nadu, they are facing a rout. The Prime Minister cannot answer the question, why no flood relief for Tamil Nadu. He is now bringing up false bogeys,” he said.
