Cutting across party lines, members on Monday objected in the Rajya Sabha over an affidavit filed by the Government in the Supreme Court on Katchatheevu, an island ceded to Sri lanka in 1974 and demanded that it be retrieved. Members from AIADMK, DMK, CPI and BJP took exception to the affidavit and BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu urged the Government to call an all-party meeting to discuss the issue and rethink over the affidavit.
Raising the issue, V Maitreyan (AIADMK) said, “Katchatheevu is part of India... Entire Tamil Nadu is shocked that the UPA Government in an affidavit to the Supreme Court ceded it to Sri lanka. This is the greatest betrayal to Tamil Nadu.” Katchatheevu is an island under Sri lankan control where Indian fishermen can rest and dry their nets under an agreement of 1974. Criticising the Congress, Maitreyan said the ruling party is anti-Tamil Nadu and referred to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s submission in the Supreme Court that Katchatheevu belonged to India and it was ceded to lanka in an illegal manner without necessary Parliamentary approval. D Raja (CPI) backed him and urged the Government reopening of Katchatheevu agreement to renegotiate it. Kanimozhi (DMK) said Katchatheevu was under the control of the King of Ramanathapuram.
A large number of members associated themselves with Maitreyan’s demand for retrieving the islet to India saying fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been using the islet since ages for drying their nets.