The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tamil Nadu has strongly condemned Chief Minister M. K. Stalin’s renewed demand to retrieve Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka, calling it a political gimmick aimed to coincide with the visit of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister to New Delhi.
Former Telangana Governor and senior BJP leader Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan came down heavily on the DMK government, stating, “I condemn the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for hiding the truth on handing over the Katchatheevu by the then Congress government, and this being endorsed by the then ruling DMK government. It was given with the consent of the DMK. Now they are pretending as if they know nothing about Katchatheevu… Why didn’t he write a letter to Manmohan Singh?… How many times did he appeal to the then Prime Minister, who was from Congress?… This is a drama enacted by the Tamil Nadu CM…”
#WATCH | Chennai | On Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan says, "I condemn the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for hiding the truth on handing over the Katchatheevu by the then Congress government, and this… https://t.co/EnVOc2IzsQ pic.twitter.com/DA14PUjMnH
— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2025
Echoing similar sentiments, TN BJP Vice President Chakravarthi accused Stalin of political opportunism. He said, “Stalin has been repeatedly asking the Centre to retrieve the islet. It is a drama. It was Indira Gandhi and M. Karunanidhi who had given it to Sri Lanka. It is a fact everyone knows. Last September, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had visited Katchatheevu. TN CM Stalin should also visit Katchatheevu along with his cabinet colleagues.”
Describing Stalin’s latest letter as “a wolf’s concern for the goat drenched in rainwater,” the BJP leader mocked the CM’s sudden concern for fishermen while ignoring the DMK’s historical role in the ceding of the island.
Stalin’s Fourth Letter to PM Modi on Katchatheevu
CM M. K. Stalin has written his fourth letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to retrieve the Katchatheevu islet from Sri Lanka. The letter was sent ahead of the three-day official visit of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Nireka Amarasuriya to New Delhi, scheduled from 16 to 18 October 2025.
இலங்கையிடமிருந்து கட்சத் தீவை மீட்கவும், இலங்கைக் கடற்படையினரால் சிறைபிடிக்கப்பட்ட மீனவர்களையும், அவர்களது மீன்பிடிப் படகுகளையும் உடனடியாக விடுவிக்கவும், கூட்டுப்பணிக் குழுவை மீண்டும் புதுப்பிக்கவும். இந்தியாவிற்கு வருகை புரிந்துள்ள மாண்புமிகு இலங்கை பிரதமர் அவர்களை வலியுறுத்திட… pic.twitter.com/QwWT2KWbgl
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) October 16, 2025
In his latest communication, Stalin stated: “I am writing with reference to the upcoming three-day visit of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to New Delhi scheduled for 16th October 2025. This visit presents a valuable opportunity to address the persistent challenges faced by Indian fishermen in the traditional fishing waters of the Palk Bay and urge you to raise these concerns with the visiting Prime Minister.”
The Chief Minister further added, “Fishing communities of Tamil Nadu continue to face significant hardships due to recurring incidents of harassment, attacks and apprehensions by the Sri Lankan Navy. Since 2021, 1,482 fishermen and 198 fishing boats have been apprehended in 106 separate incidents, causing distress and economic loss to these communities.”
On the retrieval of Katchatheevu Island, Stalin wrote, “The fishermen of Tamil Nadu have traditionally fished in the waters surrounding Katchatheevu Island, which was historically part of India. The Island was transferred to Sri Lanka by the Union Government without obtaining consent of the State government and without following due process – a decision that has been consistently opposed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly since 1974. As a result, our fishermen now face restricted access to their traditional fishing grounds and frequent harassment on charges of trespassing.”
On the immediate release of detained fishermen and their boats, Stalin noted, “Currently, 78 fishermen and 242 fishing boats from Tamil Nadu remain in Sri Lankan custody. I urge you to press for their prompt repatriation and the release of vessels to alleviate the distress faced by the affected fishermen.”
Addressing incidents of violence and theft at sea, the CM said, “Beyond this, Indian fishermen frequently report attacks and theft of their fishing equipment and catch, allegedly perpetrated by the Sri Lankan Navy. These incidents have instilled fear and insecurity among coastal communities. Enhanced bilateral security coordination and consistent diplomatic engagements are essential to address this issue effectively.”
He also referred to the 2018 amendment to the Sri Lankan Fisheries Act, saying, “This amendment led to the nationalisation of seized fishing boats, rendering their retrieval impossible. This has caused severe financial hardship and loss of livelihoods. I request that the issue be raised to ensure livelihoods are not impaired permanently.”
The CM further said that the Joint Working Group on Fisheries, established to resolve such bilateral issues, had not convened regularly in recent years.
In a post on X, Stalin reiterated,
“The upcoming three-day visit of the PM of Sri Lanka to New Delhi, scheduled for 16–18 October 2025, presents a valuable opportunity to address the persistent challenges faced by Indian fishermen in the traditional fishing waters of the Palk Bay. The GoTN has consistently sought the intervention of the GoI to address these issues through diplomatic channels. I have raised this matter with your office on 11 occasions and made 72 representations to the Hon’ble Minister for External Affairs.”
இந்தியாவுக்கு இலங்கைப் பிரதமர் வருகை தந்திருக்கும் இவ்வேளையில், நாம் தொடர்ந்து வலியுறுத்தி வரும்
* கச்சத்தீவு மீட்பு
* இந்திய மீனவர்கள் மற்றும் படகுகளை உடனடியாக விடுவித்தல்
* மீனவர்கள் மீது நிகழ்த்தப்படும் வன்முறை & திருட்டுச் சம்பவங்களைத் தடுத்து நிறுத்துதல்
* பறிமுதல்… pic.twitter.com/sMmG9hPzKi— M.K.Stalin – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) October 16, 2025
So far, Stalin has written four letters to Prime Minister Modi on this issue, first on 19 April 2023, followed by another in July 2024. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly had adopted a resolution on 2 April 2025, urging the Centre to reclaim rights over Katchatheevu. Based on that resolution, Stalin wrote again to PM Modi on 3 April 2025, and most recently on 16 October 2025.
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