On July 20, 2023, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin requested that the Union government begin diplomatic efforts to reconsider the agreement that transferred the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka.
Katchatheevu is located in the Palk Strait, which separates India and Sri Lanka, and has been a source of dispute between the two countries since 1976.
The island is just 2.7 km2 in size, making it one of the smaller territories to be fought over in recent years. The region is contested by both Sri Lanka and India. India claimed it until 1976, but it is currently under the administration of Sri Lanka.
Katchatheevu Island’s History
- Katchatheevu island is a small uninhabited island located in the Palk Strait, between Sri Lanka and India. It has long been an area of dispute between the two countries, with Indian fishermen claiming traditional fishing rights over its waters.
- It was formed by volcanic eruptions in the 14th century. It was originally owned by the Raja of Ramnad (present-day Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu) and eventually became a part of the Madras Presidency when zamindari was abolished.
- As per the Gazetteer of Ramanathapuram, Kachchatheevu had a survey number of 1,250.
- Over the years, it has been a site of fishing disputes between India and Sri Lanka, with both claiming ownership of the island.
- In 1974, an agreement was signed between the two countries that ceded Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in exchange for allowing Indian fishermen access to its waters for fishing and other activities.
- This agreement established the maritime boundary in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka. Despite this, disputes over Katchatheevu island continue to flare up from time to time.
- In 1921, both Sri Lanka and India claimed this piece of land for fishing and the dispute remained unsettled.
- The 285-acre land was jointly administered by India and Sri Lanka during British rule.
- It was evident that the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was determined to give up Kachchatheevu when the Indian government considered it a disputed territory instead of an Indian one.
- Additionally, the principle of maritime boundary delimitation, known as the “median line,” was changed, resulting in Kachchatheevu falling on the Sri Lankan side.
Recent Fishing Issues
- The fishing issue between India and Sri Lanka over Kachchatheevu island has been a long-standing problem.
- During the civil war in Sri Lanka, this use was largely unrestricted. However, since the end of the war, Sri Lanka has reinforced its security at maritime boundaries.
- In 2009, towards the end of the war between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE, the Sri Lankan government increased security at their maritime boundaries.
- As a result, when Indian fishermen crossed these boundaries, they were arrested. This led to discussions in Tamil Nadu about retrieving Katchatheevu.
- According to the Sri Lankan government, the reduction of marine resources in their waters is impacting the ability of fishermen to make a living.
- According to Sri Lanka, Indian fishermen are entering Sri Lankan waters too far and using banned bottom trawlers, which are causing irreparable ecological damage to marine life.
- On the other hand, the Tamil Nadu Government’s position is that Indian fishermen are facing severe limitations on accessing their usual fishing areas, as well as increased intimidation and detention by the Sri Lankan Navy for trespassing.
- Both sides have agreed not to use force, but the violent situation has not changed on the ground.
Centre vs State Of Tamil Nadu
- During 1974-76, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi signed four Maritime Boundary Agreements with Sri Lankan President Srimavo Bandaranaike in which Katchatheevu Island was ceded to Sri Lanka. In 1991, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution demanding the retrieval of Katchatheevu Island in response to this decision.
- In 2008, the then chief minister Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa, filed a case in the Supreme Court requesting the cancellation of the Katchatheevu agreements. She argued that the two treaties, which resulted in gifting Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka, were unconstitutional.
St Anthony’s Church: In February, numerous worshipers from Rameshwaram go to the century-old St. Anthony’s Church on Katchatheevu island. The church was built by a Tamil Catholic named Srinivasa Padaiyachi from Tamil Nadu. The church is more than 110-years old.
Do You Know?
In the 1950s, Jawaharlal Nehru proposed giving Berubari to East Pakistan because he believed it was a disputed area. However, West Bengal’s chief minister at the time, B C Roy, challenged this decision and took the case to the Supreme Court, stating that Berubari was an integral part of West Bengal.
If an Indian territory is to be ceded to a foreign country, the Constitution has to be amended. The Supreme Court supported B C Roy’s assertion, and Berubari is still a part of India.
Sanctity Of International Agreements
Retrieving Kachchatheevu is not a practical demand as it has become irrelevant. International agreements have a certain level of sanctity. Even though there were wars between India and Pakistan in the past, the Indus Water Agreement was not terminated by India.