EAM S Jaishankar: Public Has Right To Know How Katchatheevu Island Was Given To Sri Lanka
On Monday External Affairs Minister S Jaishnakar lashed out at the Congress and DMK saying that the parties approached the Katchatheevu issue as though they bear no responsibility.
He emphasized on the matter that the public has the right to know how Katchatheevu was given away. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Jaishankar said, ‘We know who did this, what we don’t know is who hid it’.
Public has the right to know how Katchatheevu island was given to Sri Lanka, why even the fishing rights of Bharatiya fishermen were also given up in 1976 after giving an assurance to the Parliament that fishing rights of Bharatiyas in the 1974 agreement have been safeguarded.
He added, ‘In 1974, Bharat and Sri Lanka concluded an agreement where they drew a maritime boundary, and in drawing the maritime boundary, Katchatheevu was put on the Sri Lankan side of the boundary.
He further said that Bharat needs to sit with Sri Lankan authorities and find a solution. Highlighting the background of the issue, Jaishankar said, ‘In the last 20 years 6184 Bharatiya fishermen have been detained by Sri Lanka and 1175 Bharatiya vessels have been seized, detained by Sri Lanka. This is the background of the issue that we are discussing.
Calling it a live issue and not something that surfaced suddenly, Jaishankar said, ‘The then CM of a Tamil Nadu has written to me numerous times. And my record shows that to the current CM, I have replied 21 times on this issue. This is not an issue that has suddenly surfaced. This is a live issue’.
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