TN CM Stalin slams BJP, says it only does 'politics' over Katchatheevu

Mayiladuthurai, Jul 16 (PTI) Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday alleged the BJP-led Union government did not have even a little concern for the Tamil Nadu fishermen and that the BJP merely does politics over who ceded Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka.

In his address at a government event here, Stalin said the state government is taking all necessary steps to establish the traditional fishing rights of fishermen and protect their interests.

Whenever he met the Prime Minister, Stalin said he had been making representations to retrieve Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka to find a permanent solution to the problems faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen.

The chief minister recalled that a resolution was adopted in the state Assembly on April 2, 2025 seeking Katchatheevu's retrieval. The state government is pressing the Centre to secure the release of Indian fishermen from Sri Lankan jails and also bring back their seized boats.

"The BJP-led Union government does not have even a little concern for the Tamils or the Tamil Nadu fishermen and they (BJP) are only doing politics over who ceded Katchatheevu (to Sri Lanka)," Stalin alleged.

Both the BJP and AIADMK blame the DMK and Congress for the ceding of Katchatheevu.

Further, the chief minister said: "The power to enter into an agreement with a foreign country is vested with the Union government. For over 10 years now, the BJP is in power at the Centre. So far, what are the steps taken by them to retrieve Katchatheevu? Have they at least ensured that Tamil Nadu fishermen are not arrested by Sri Lanka? No, they have not." Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has alleged that Tamil Nadu fishermen trespassed into Katchatheevu and that they will not give up Katchatheevu island.

"What is External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's reply? You must think it over; so far, there is no response," he alleged.

Also, the CM said: "We continuously say that the Prime Minister should directly intervene and put a full stop to this issue. I assure our fishermen brothers that the Tamil Nadu government and the DMK will continuously struggle to realise that objective." PTI VGN VGN ADB