Fri Apr 04 15:09:11 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Actor-Politician Urges Modi to Act on Katchatheevu Island Ahead of Sri Lanka Visit

**Chennai, India –** Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka, Tamil actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay has urged the Prime Minister to address the decades-long dispute over Katchatheevu Island. Vijay proposed a 99-year lease as a temporary solution, stressing that regaining full sovereignty over the island is the only permanent resolution to the ongoing crisis faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen.

Vijay criticized both the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the BJP-led central government for their inaction on the issue. He dismissed the DMK’s recent assembly resolution calling for the island’s retrieval as a pre-election tactic ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu state elections, holding the DMK responsible for ceding the island to Sri Lanka in 1974. He further accused the Centre of discriminatory treatment towards Tamil Nadu fishermen, contrasting their plight with the protection afforded to fishermen from other states.

Vijay’s call follows a similar appeal from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who wrote to PM Modi requesting a review of the 1974 Indo-Lankan treaty and the release of jailed Tamil fishermen. The Tamil Nadu Assembly also passed a resolution echoing these demands. However, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and BJP have dismissed both appeals as election-motivated posturing.

Experts note that while reclaiming Katchatheevu might offer some relief to Tamil Nadu fishermen by expanding their legal fishing area, it won’t completely solve the issue of dwindling fish stocks, which forces many to fish illegally in Sri Lankan waters. The 1.9 sq km island lies just 12 nautical miles off Rameswaram. With PM Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka imminent, attention now turns to whether he will address Tamil Nadu’s concerns regarding Katchatheevu.

Read More