BJP TN President Annamalai Slams TN Congress Chief K Selvaperunthagai For Defending Katchatheevu Cession As ‘Strategic Maneuver’

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has criticized Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K Selvaperunthagai for praising the Congress’s controversial decision to cede the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka, calling it a “strategic maneuver”. Selvaperunthagai recently defended the move in an interview, repeatedly stating that Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s gifting of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka was a “strategic maneuver,” however, in reality, this decision led to a shrinking of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and has caused ongoing problems for Tamil Nadu fishermen, who face frequent threats and arrests by Sri Lankan fishermen and the Sri Lankan Navy.

In a recent interview, when asked why Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) Chief K. Selvaperunthagai defended the move by calling it a “strategic maneuver,” adding, “I’m saying it is a strategic maneuver, you wont understand.” The interviewer countered, pointing out that while the move may have been presented as strategic, the people, especially fishermen, have faced ongoing problems since the cession.  “If it was a strategic maneuver, the people should have benefited, but since the cession of Katchatheevu, the fishermen have been suffering,” the interviewer remarked.

In response, Selvaperunthagai further explained, “During Indira Gandhi’s time, Katchatheevu was ceded because it was a small island. Do you know the extent of international borders that was occupied from us? Its like you ceeded chennai and attached 6 to 7 states as compensation. I’m telling this as an example. So, if Indira Gandhi took a decision it is not an ordinary decision it has an enormous strategy behind it. Let me repeat it, nobody can underestimate Indira Gandhi. She ceded a small portion and have taken greater portion.”

When the interviewer asked, “So from that What is the benefit for us?” Selvaperunthagai buttressed stating, “these portions has large deposits of natural resources. According to the source of  Bhabha Atomic Research Centre these portion consists of resources that are found nowhere on the earth. This is a huge strategic maneuver. They would say Indira Gandhi have cheated the foreign nations but it is not. Her greates startegic manuevar was to cede a small island and take a massive are for development of India.”  

In a rebuttal to TNCC chief Selvaperunthagai, on 22 January 2025, Annamalai took to his official X account to express his disapproval, writing, “Tamil Nadu Congress President Thiru @SPK_TNCC calls Smt Indira Gandhi’s gifting of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka a “Strategic Maneuver.” He constantly repeats this to emphasize how Indians should be thankful to Smt Indira Gandhi. The DMK & Congress have, for the last 4 decades, led to the loss of lives of our fishermen and put the lives of Tamil Fishermen at risk through their unilateral decision-making by gifting away Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka without even tabling this decision in the Parliament for discussion in 1974. Our Hon. PM Thiru @narendramodi  avl has been working tirelessly to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty and has bridged the gap in infrastructure in J&K and the Northeastern region, which remained neglected during the Congress regime. And here we have Congress boasting with pride that gifting away a critical island that belonged to India was Smt Indira Gandhi’s Strategic Maneuver. Does Thiru @SPK_TNCC realise that Congress & DMK’s strategic maneuver has cost the lives of our Fishermen, many losing their livelihood due to constant arrest & loss of shipping vessels? Is the Congress party not ashamed for trying to justify a haphazard decision? Is TN CM Thiru @mkstalin avl also of the same opinion as his Congress counterpart?”

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