Chennai, April 9 Indian fishermen are hoping that the Narendra Modi government will get back Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka as a goodwill gesture for helping the island nation financially and materially as it is facing a dire economic situation.
"We hope India gets back Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka. If Katchatheevu comes back to India, then the Indian fishermen will have about 20 nautical mile of fishing area and they will not venture into Sri Lankan waters," P. Jesuraja, President, All Mechanised Boat Fishermen Association, told from Rameswaram.
Indian Prime Ministers and Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers have come and gone but the one persistent unresolved issue between two is getting back Katchatheevu islet that was transferred to Sri Lanka decades back.
The news of the arrest of Indian fishermen and apprehension of their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy is almost a daily occurrence. However, the only consolation is that the earlier reports of Sri Lankan Navy opening fire on and killing Indian fishermen no longer figures in the news.
"More than 500 Indian fishermen were shot dead by Lankan Navy and an equal number seriously injured and maimed," Jesuraja said.
Now the fishermen are hoping that India will try to secure a permanent solution for the vexed issue - say by getting back the Katchatheevu as a gift or even on a long lease.
"If Katchatheevu is returned back to India by Sri Lanka it is a welcome move and the fishermen issue will get solved," Tamil Nadu BJP Fisherman Cell President S. Satish Kumar told .
The 285-acre islet in the Palk Strait was transferred to Sri Lanka by India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's regime in 1974.
At that time, DMK President, late M. Karunanidhi was the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and he didn't raise any objection to the transfer nor did he approach the courts against the transfer to protect the interests of the state's fishermen.
As per the India-Sri Lanka agreement in 1974, fishermen of both countries can use Katchatheevu to rest and dry their nests and can worship at the St. Anthony shrine there.
According to Jesuraja, till 1983, there was no problem between the Indian and Lankan fishermen as both fished even crossing the borders.
"At that time, the number of Indian fishermen was less. But now the number of fishermen and fishing boats have increased several times, resulting in the pressure on fishing areas," he said.
The Sri Lankan Navy was focussed on preventing arms smuggling by the Liberation Tigers for Tamil Eelam
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor