CHENNAI: With the consecration of the reconstructed St Antony's church in Katchatheevu scheduled for December 7, Tamil Nadu has urged the Centre to permit fishermen from this side of the Palk Strait to attend the festival.
In a letter to Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Thursday, Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao also requested to provide necessary protection and assistance to the pilgrims from the State.
The Chief Secretary said the State government had received a representation from Rameswaram fishermen that around 100 devotees were keen to attend the function.
Pointing out that the church on Katchatheevu islet holds considerable cultural and religious significance for the fisherfolk of coastal districts, he said “their participation in the ceremonies at the church in Katchatheevu is an inalienable right of the fishermen of Tamil Nadu.”
He also recalled that every year the annual festival of this church was attended by a large number of fishermen pilgrims and necessary arrangements were made for their safe travel and protection by the Tamil Nadu government in consultation with the Centre.
Further, he drew attention to the earlier representation of fishermen that reconstruction of the church at Katchatheevu should be taken up jointly by India and Sri Lanka in view of the shared heritage of fisherfolk on both sides.
n this connection, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 14 about the apprehension of Tamil Nadu fishermen on the unilateral decision of Lankan government to demolish and reconstruct the church without consulting Tamil Nadu fishermen.