The sudden irruption of controversy over the island and its sovereignty, involving India's top politicians on the eve of the general election, would have come as a surprise to them. Especially given the seemingly unambiguous 1974 maritime agreement between the two countries signed by the then prime ministers of India and Sri Lanka, Indira Gandhi and Sirima R.D. Bandaranaike.
Meant to demarcate their maritime boundaries from the Palk Strait to Adam's Bridge, it put Katchatheevu-a barren 1.9 sq. km island in the Palk Strait, located about 14 nautical miles from the Indian coast at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and 10.5 nautical miles from North Sri Lanka-in Lankan waters. Under the agreement, Indians can visit the church in Katchatheevu on St Anthony's Day. After India thus recognised Sri Lankan sovereignty over the tiny island, a subsequent 1976 agreement also recognised Indian sovereignty over Wadge Bank—a 10,000 sq. km area of the sea rich in biodiversity near Kanyakumari.
The long spell of calm ended this March. First, the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit chief K. Annamalai trotted out the allegation that the Congress government of Indira Gandhi “gave away” Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. Based on an RTI (Right to Information) response, he was clearly trying to craft a poll plank by playing on Tamil sentiments. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself took up the issue on March 31. In a post on X, he wrote that the Congress, which was in power at the Centre in 1974, “callously gave away” Katchatheevu. He also added that the details had “unmasked the DMK’s double standards”. He was alluding to the fact that the alleged ceding of the island had taken place when Tamil Nadu had a DMK chief minister, M. Karunanidhi, while subsequent DMK leaders, including current CM M.K. Stalin, have sporadically expressed concern about the island’s status.
This story is from the April 15, 2024 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 15, 2024 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BACK IN ACTION
Besides making a thrilling comeback with Tipppsy, Deepak Tijori is working on pushing the boundaries with new projects
THE POWER OF PATIENCE
A steady approach has helped badminton player Lakshya Sen secure a spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics
Great Balls of Fire
The sport of PICKLEBALL is set to get a boost in India with the launch of the World Pickleball League here
Man of Many Ideas
Vanya Vaidehi Bhargav questions simplistic notions of Lala Lajpat Rai's politics in this well-researched book
THE HINDU NATIONALIST
Janaki Bakhle's Savarkar and the Making of Hindutva is a deep dive into the creation of the ideologue
LOVE CONQUERS
IKKA's third album Only Love Gets Reply brings together bigwigs like Diljit Dosanjh, Badshah and Karan Aujla, among others
The Great Indian Village
Everyone's favourite OTT show, Panchayat, is back for a third season on Amazon Prime Video. Expect a lot of laughs
VISUAL CONSTRUCTS
CLASSICS OF MODERN SOUTH ASIAN ARCHITECTURE ARE PORTRAYED IN THESE VOLUMES
TROPICAL TROPES
Tropical Modernism, an exhibition at the V&A, London, looks at the adoption of this architectural style in post-independence India and Ghana
INDIAN ARMY FACES THE GORKHA QUESTION
THE PANDEMIC AND NEPAL'S OPPOSITION TO THE AGNIPATH SCHEME HAVE STALLED GORKHA RECRUITMENT IN THE INDIAN ARMY. THEIR FALLING NUMBERS ARE A STRATEGIC CONCERN FOR INDIA, PARTICULARLY AMIDST RISING SPECULATION ABOUT CHINESE PLANS TO INDUCT THE LEGENDARY SOLDIERS