Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin have urged Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to stop attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. No matter how many times the talks are held and whatever ‘so-called’ solution is found, without retrieving Katchatheevu, there will be no lasting benefit or protection to the fishermen of Tamil Nadu.
Katchatheevu, an area of 285 acres under the rule of the Ramanathapuram Sethupathi Kings, belongs entirely to the Tamil people historically and ethically. Katchatheevu, which belonged to the Tamils, was ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974 under an illegal agreement between India and Sri Lanka during the tenure of Indira Gandhi. The Constitution of India stipulates that if the Indian Union Government desires to cede any part of the territory of the Union of India to any other country, it must obtain the consent of the Parliament and the government of the State concerned.
But without following any of these rules, Indira Gandhi unilaterally handed over Katchatheevu, which belonged to the Tamils, to Sri Lanka. The then DMK government led by Karunanidhi did nothing to stop it and betrayed Tamils. It was only after the Indian Union government ceded Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka that the Sri Lankan Navy began attacking the Tamils.
The Sinhala racist navy capturing Tamil Nadu fishermen when they venture to sea for fishing, carrying out murderous attacks, snatching boats and fish, confiscating property, damaging nets and boats, and killing them has become an endless story. During the previous AIADMK regime in Tamil Nadu, during the present DMK rule, as well as during the Congress rule of the Indian Union and then during the BJP rule, none of the rulers in the country made an even effort to stop the attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen. No matter which party comes to power, no matter how many times there is a change of power, the attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy are unending.
Even when more than 800 Tamil Nadu fishermen are killed and crores of property of fishermen are looted, the rulers of the country do not care about it. No country in the world can tolerate its citizens being attacked by foreign armies. Even after all these atrocities, the Indian Union government, which has the fourth largest army in the world, is silent without putting any pressure on the Sri Lankan government and befriending the Tamils by giving thousands of crores of Tamil Nadu taxpayers’ money.
When a Gujarat fisherman was shot dead by the Pakistan Navy, the BJP government immediately registered a murder case against them and made it an international issue and protected them from such an incident till date. Why has no government taken such action to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen? Are Tamils not citizens of this country? Don’t Tamils abide by the laws of this country and pay taxes? Or didn’t vote? What attachment will we have to this country if we Tamils are continued to be ignored?
Therefore, I urge the Modi-led BJP government to hold talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and try to retrieve Katchatheevu, which belongs to the Tamils.
– Senthamizhan Seeman
Chief Coordinator
Naam Tamilar Katchi
