Katchatheevu blues Threat of raising Indian flag, then and now

Tamil Nadu cinestar-turned-politician Vijay announced that he would take a flotilla of boats to Katchatheevu and raise the Indian flag to protest against ceasing the ownership of the island to Sri Lanka and claim the island as an Indian territory.

- By SUGEESWARA SENADHIRA.

Vijay’s announcement brought memories of a similar threat four decades ago by the maverick politician Dr Subramanium Swamy, President of Janata Party. I was on a diplomatic assignment in New Delhi from 1983 to December 1987 and I met Dr Swamy at a reception at the British High Commission in Delhi in December 1987. During our casual conversation, he said that he would take a boat ride to Katchatheevu on February 4, 1988 to raise Indian flag on top of the St Anthony’s church, the only building in the uninhabited island. I told him that I was concluding my diplomatic assignment and working as Colombo Correspondent of India Abroad and IANS from January 1988 and asked whether I could quote him. “Of course you can. I’m making an announcement in Chennai next month before I proceed to Rameswaram to take a boat to Katchatheevu on your national day,” the Harvard-educated politician said in good humour.

After my return to Sri Lanka, I wrote my news story on Dr Swamy’s intended visit to Katchatheevu for India Abroad, US and gave the Sinhala translation of the news item to Editor-in-Chief of Divaina, Edmond Ranasinghe, who published it as Sunday Divaina lead story in January 1988. When questioned about Dr Swamy’s threat at the following week’s cabinet briefing, Director Of Information Dr Sarath Amunugama quipped “Dr Swamy will be arrested for illegal entry if he lands in Sri Lankan territory”.