Editorial: Avoidable row

By raking up Katchatheevu, BJP is only trying to stoke regional passions as it desperately seeks to expand footprint in TN

Dragging delicate diplomatic issues, involving neighbouring countries, into the domestic election campaigning is fraught with dangerous consequences. By raking up the five-decade-old issue of ceding the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka by the then Congress government at the Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stirred a hornet’s nest ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Clearly, it is aimed at setting a campaign agenda in Tamil Nadu and influencing the voters who are swayed by matters concerning Tamil identity. It must be pointed out that Katchatheevu, which lies on the Sri Lankan side of the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), is a settled subject, to the satisfaction of both countries. It is a tiny island located 33 km off the coast of Tamil Nadu. After considering the entire gamut of strategic bilateral ties at that time, New Delhi and Colombo concluded the agreement in 1974 in good faith where both sides won some and lost some. In return for ceding Katchatheevu, India was given exclusive control over the Wadge Bank as part of a bilateral pact in 1976. The Wadge Bank, located south of Kanyakumari, is a resource-rich submarine plateau. Under the agreement, Sri Lankan fishing vessels and personnel were not allowed to engage in fishing activities in the Wadge Bank. However, as a gesture of goodwill, India permitted a limited number of Sri Lankan fishing vessels, licensed by India, to fish in the area for a period of three years from the establishment of India’s exclusive economic zone.

The deal on the Wadge Bank is generally viewed as favourable for India as it secured sovereign rights to a significant maritime area rich in biodiversity and considered one of India’s richest fishery resources. These agreements must be seen as sovereign decisions taken by the state, taking into account the “realities on the ground”. The BJP leadership is well advised to refrain from politicising the issue. Moreover, Modi has triggered a storm but has not offered any solution or made any promises. A more important challenge before New Delhi is the plight of Tamil Nadu fishermen who get arrested for straying into Sri Lankan territory. According to the Sri Lankan Navy, 178 Indian fishermen and 23 trawlers have been held this year so far. Instead of focusing on such pressing issues, the Prime Minister has chosen to use a long-forgotten bilateral agreement as a political weapon to attack the Congress for “callously giving away” the island to Sri Lanka and the DMK for doing nothing to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interest. The saffron party is only trying to stoke the regional passions as it seeks to expand its footprint in the State. So far, it has been unable to breach the formidable fortress of Dravidian politics in Tamil Nadu despite an aggressive campaign and multiple visits by Modi in recent times.