Sashan
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Katchatheevu, a 285 acre islet situated 17 km north east of Rameswaram, has become a bone of contention between the Tamil Nadu Government and the Centre. The Union Government’s submission to the Supreme Court that Katchatheevu never was a part of India has upset the entire fishing community in coastal Tamil Nadu as well as all political parties in the State.
The Union Government’s submission was in response to a petition filed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa asking the apex court to declare null and void the treaties signed between India and Sri Lanka in 1974 and 1976 over transferring the ownership of the islet to Sri Lanka. The resentment among the fishing community could emerge as a major law and order problem, fear security and intelligence agencies.
More than a hundred fishermen from Tamil Nadu are languishing in Sri Lankan jails for charges of fishing near Katchatheevu islet, an integral part of India till 1974. Not a single day passes in Tamil Nadu without complaints from fishermen from the State who blame the Sri Lankan Navy for assaulting them and seizing their catch.
The agreements on Katchatheevu were signed between the then Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka, Indira Gandhi and Sirimao Bandaranayake respectively. With the signing of the agreements, India handed over Katchatheevu islet , an uninhabited area, on a platter to Sri Lanka.
Jayalalithaa had pointed out that this was done without amending the Constitution under Article 368. She also said that the State of Tamil Nadu was not taken into confidence, yet another pre-condition for such an action.
The islet has been an integral part of India since 1605. During the regime of Naykars in Madurai, the Ramanathapuram Principality was established with 69 coastal villages, seven islets, including Katchatheevu in the Palk Strait. Since then the islet was considered as an integral part of the Ramanathapuram zamindari ruled by the Sethupathis. “There are enough documents in the Ramanathapuram registrar office which prove beyond doubt that Katchatheevu was part of their Zamin,” D Kuppuramu, lawyer, Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) told The Pioneer.
The uninhabited islet was used mainly by fishermen who set sailing from Rameswaram and nearby areas to dry fish, drying their nets and rest during their fishing operations in deep sea. The only structure in Katchatheevu is the St Antony’s Church, a shrine of the Roman Catholic community. Every March see fishermen from India and Sri Lanka converging here to celebrate the festival of St Antony.
“All historical data prove that the islet is part of the Sethupathi dynasty,” said Kumar Sethupathi, member of the royal family. He also claimed that the then governor of Ceylon had admitted in 1845 itself that the islet was part of the Sethupathi dynasty.
Princess RBK Rajeswari Natchiyar, the present head of the family, said the Sethupathis do not know how and when the land was acquired by the Union Government for handing it over to Sri Lanka. “We had allowed fishermen in the region to make use of the islet for fishing and drying their nets free of cost. All documents under the possession of the family say that we are the sole owners of the islet. We only thought about the welfare of the fishermen when we allowed them to make use of the islet. It is sad to see that they are not allowed anywhere near the islet which once belonged to them,” said the Princess.
Resentment brewing in TN against UPA?s stance
Liars in the UPA trying to cover Indira's blunder thereby alienating people of TN.
The Union Government’s submission was in response to a petition filed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa asking the apex court to declare null and void the treaties signed between India and Sri Lanka in 1974 and 1976 over transferring the ownership of the islet to Sri Lanka. The resentment among the fishing community could emerge as a major law and order problem, fear security and intelligence agencies.
More than a hundred fishermen from Tamil Nadu are languishing in Sri Lankan jails for charges of fishing near Katchatheevu islet, an integral part of India till 1974. Not a single day passes in Tamil Nadu without complaints from fishermen from the State who blame the Sri Lankan Navy for assaulting them and seizing their catch.
The agreements on Katchatheevu were signed between the then Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka, Indira Gandhi and Sirimao Bandaranayake respectively. With the signing of the agreements, India handed over Katchatheevu islet , an uninhabited area, on a platter to Sri Lanka.
Jayalalithaa had pointed out that this was done without amending the Constitution under Article 368. She also said that the State of Tamil Nadu was not taken into confidence, yet another pre-condition for such an action.
The islet has been an integral part of India since 1605. During the regime of Naykars in Madurai, the Ramanathapuram Principality was established with 69 coastal villages, seven islets, including Katchatheevu in the Palk Strait. Since then the islet was considered as an integral part of the Ramanathapuram zamindari ruled by the Sethupathis. “There are enough documents in the Ramanathapuram registrar office which prove beyond doubt that Katchatheevu was part of their Zamin,” D Kuppuramu, lawyer, Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) told The Pioneer.
The uninhabited islet was used mainly by fishermen who set sailing from Rameswaram and nearby areas to dry fish, drying their nets and rest during their fishing operations in deep sea. The only structure in Katchatheevu is the St Antony’s Church, a shrine of the Roman Catholic community. Every March see fishermen from India and Sri Lanka converging here to celebrate the festival of St Antony.
“All historical data prove that the islet is part of the Sethupathi dynasty,” said Kumar Sethupathi, member of the royal family. He also claimed that the then governor of Ceylon had admitted in 1845 itself that the islet was part of the Sethupathi dynasty.
Princess RBK Rajeswari Natchiyar, the present head of the family, said the Sethupathis do not know how and when the land was acquired by the Union Government for handing it over to Sri Lanka. “We had allowed fishermen in the region to make use of the islet for fishing and drying their nets free of cost. All documents under the possession of the family say that we are the sole owners of the islet. We only thought about the welfare of the fishermen when we allowed them to make use of the islet. It is sad to see that they are not allowed anywhere near the islet which once belonged to them,” said the Princess.
Resentment brewing in TN against UPA?s stance
Liars in the UPA trying to cover Indira's blunder thereby alienating people of TN.
