Chennai: Reiterating that ceding of Katchatheevu without a constitutional amendment was ‘unlawful and not valid’, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday urged PM Modi to direct officials to file a revised affidavit in the Madras high court as the affidavit that was filed by the ministry of external affairs came ‘as a rude shock’.
The MEA had earlier filed a counter affidavit before the Madras HC indicating that the maritime boundary between India and Sri Lanka was a settled matter in connection with a writ petition filed by the Fishermen Care of Pallavaram. “The counter affidavit further indicates that Indian fishermen have no traditional fishing rights in the area around Katchatheevu. I was appalled and shocked to read newspaper reports relating to this matter,” Jayalalithaa said in her letter to the Prime Minister.
Pointing out that her government’s stand had always been that Katchatheevu was an integral part of India, Jayalalithaa said that the small island of approximately 285 acres in the Palk Straits off Rameswaram was originally under the ownership of the Raja of Ramanathapuram for which there is enough documentary proof.
“Indian fishermen enjoyed traditional fishing rights in and around Katchatheevu and Palk Bay. As per agreements entered into by the GoI in 1974 and 1976, Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka and the TN fishermen have been deprived of fishing rights around that island since then,” CM said.
As per the SC order in the Berubari case of 1960, a part of any territory owned by India can be ceded to another country only through a constitutional amendment. “However, Katchatheevu was ceded to Lanka without such an amendment and hence ceding it is unlawful and not valid,” Jayalalithaa said in her missive.
