THOOTHUKUDI: Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan said Tamil fishers are expecting justice from the Supreme Court, which will hear on September 15 Tamil Nadu’s appeal challenging the ceding of Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka by the then union government.
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the CM Trophy sports tournament at Tharuvai grounds, the Minister said Chief Minister MK Stalin is keen on reclaiming Katchatheevu island to ensure safety of fishermen.
“The union government should give special attention to the case as several former BJP ministers, including Sushma Swaraj, had promised to retrieve the islet so that Tamil Nadu government could initiate steps to protect the interests of Tamil fishermen,” he said.
Speaking to TNIE, the minister said the state has taken all legal steps to put forth a strong argument to get a judgment in favour of Tamil Nadu.
In 2011, the then CM J Jayalalithaa challenged the agreements signed in 1974 and 1976 by India with Sri Lanka to cede Katchatheevu. The then DMK president M Karunanidhi impleaded in the case.
The Supreme Court on March 25 allowed DMK leader TR Baalu to replace original Karunanidhi, as the latter is no more. In 2013, the union government argued in the court that no territory belonging to Indian sovereignty was ceded to Sri Lanka, and so there was no question of retrieving Katchatheevu.
The 285.20-acre island, between Rameswaram and Delft island of Sri Lanka, has been a centre of controversy, as the Lankan navy had gunned down several fishermen from Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam.