Key Points
NEW DELHI: The external affairs ministry on Thursday steered clear of the political row over Katchatheevu island, with the spokesperson saying external affairs minister S Jaishankar has clarified all issues related to the matter during recent media interactions.b)..
Under two agreements signed by India and Sri Lanka in 1974 and 1976, the island located about 20 km from the Indian coastline fell on the Sri Lankan side of the maritime boundary..
Since the head of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, K Annamalai, obtained documents through a Right To Information (RTI) query that appeared to indicate past Congress governments had not attached much importance to the island, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaishankar have targeted the Congress and the DMK for their handling of the issue..
The external affairs ministry, in its response to numerous questions in Parliament, submissions in the Supreme Court, and responses to RTI queries in recent years had said Katchatheevu island lies on the Sri Lankan side of the maritime boundary delineated in 1974 and that the pact did not involve either acquiring or ceding any territory belonging to India..
The Indian governments position has galvanised calls within political quarters in Sri Lanka for a response by the government in Colombo, and a leading Sri Lankan think tank on Wednesday called for the setting up of a marine research station on Katchatheevu island..
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