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Tamil actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay has reignited the Katchatheevu island row by calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assert India’s sovereignty over the disputed island ahead of his Sri Lanka visit. In a strongly worded statement, Vijay proposed a 99-year lease of Katchatheevu as an interim measure, but asserted that full retrieval of the island remains the only long-term solution to the decades-old fishermen crisis.
Vijay criticised both the ruling DMK and the BJP-led Centre, accusing them of playing politics over Katchatheevu. He described the DMK’s recent resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly as a “political drama” staged ahead of the 2026 state elections. He also blamed the DMK for its role in the 1974 Indo-Lankan agreement, which led to the transfer of the island to Sri Lanka.
Highlighting the plight of Tamil Nadu fishermen, the TVK leader alleged discrimination by the central government, stating that unlike their counterparts from Gujarat and other coastal states, Tamil fishermen continue to face frequent arrests and boat seizures by the Sri Lankan Navy.
The issue has gained fresh momentum after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to PM Modi last Friday, demanding a review of the 1974 agreement and urging the Prime Minister to secure the release of jailed fishermen as a goodwill gesture during his visit to Colombo. These demands were also part of the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly earlier this week.
Katchatheevu, a 1.9 square kilometre uninhabited island located just 12 nautical miles off Rameswaram, has long been a point of contention between India and Sri Lanka. Experts say dwindling fish stocks have pushed Indian fishermen beyond permitted waters, risking arrest as they venture past Sri Lanka’s Neduntheevu island.
While both the AIADMK and BJP have dismissed the DMK’s move as “election theatrics”, all eyes are now on Prime Minister Modi to see whether he will address Tamil Nadu’s demand during his high-stakes visit to Sri Lanka.
