Political reductionism of Katchatheevu row wrong, Regupathy rebuts TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai

CHENNAI: In a rare discord within the ruling DMK alliance, Law Minister S Regupathy on Wednesday firmly rejected Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai's remarks on the Katchatheevu islet issue, asserting that the matter is about Tamil rights and livelihoods, not political gains.

Dismissing Selvaperunthagai's stance, claiming that ceding the islet was a strategic manoeuvre, Regupathy stated that the State government does not endorse his views.

"We cannot accept his comments on Katchatheevu. This is not about political profit or loss. The reality is that Tamils suffered when Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka," he told reporters.

Speaking at the State Secretariat, Regupathy emphasised that giving away Katchatheevu was a historic blunder. "This was a loss for Tamils, and there is no justification for it. There is no connection between ceding Katchatheevu and securing another territory in return," he asserted.

Criticising the AIADMK for its inconsistent stance on the issue, Regupathy recalled that in 1991, the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa vowed to reclaim Katchatheevu but later admitted in 1992 that its retrieval would be difficult.

"In 1994, she wrote to Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, acknowledging that the islet was handed over to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties. It was the AIADMK that diluted the issue, not the DMK," he said.

Defending the DMK's Assembly resolution, Regupathy dismissed claims that it was election-driven. "This move is about protecting Tamil Nadu's fishermen. DMK does not mislead people—we are a party that enjoys their trust," he said.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka imminent, Regupathy urged the Centre to take up the matter.

"As BJP MLAs supported the resolution, we expect the Prime Minister to raise the demand to reclaim Katchatheevu and protect Tamil fishermen's rights," he added.