Global Express | The Katchatheevu conundrum

When the so-called ‘ceding’ of the island of Katchaitheevu to Sri Lanka, in 1974 was raised this week by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it did two things. It raised the profile of the BJP’s rising star in Tamil Nadu, the populist BJP chief K. Annamalai - who procured the information through an RTI Act - who is bidding to take on the DMK in the upcoming parliamentary polls with an emotive and divisive issue. But it also rattled Colombo, where the Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has ruled out any move to ‘revisit the issue’ The Sri Lankan media has cautioned against India’s internal politics impacting relations with a friendly neighbour. Others have warned of Sri Lanka – India ties going the way of India-Maldives – where India’s military personnel – are being asked to leave Sri Lanka’s Daily Financial Times has said ‘provocative claims on Sri Lankan territory’ would force our country to seek security guarantees elsewhere. That’s a nod to China!!