Centre bans fishermen from Katchatheevu ceremony

Chennai: Indian fishermen will not be allowed to travel to Katchatheevu to participate in a congregation to be organised by St. Antony's Church on December 7, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday. The Union ministry rejected a demand made by Tamil Nadu to send a delegation of fishermen to the event.

Highly placed sources in the MEA told Deccan Chronicle that the decision was taken since the December 7 congregation is just a “simple ceremony” to thank people who helped in the construction of the new church.

“We understand it is a simple ceremony to thank all those who helped in the construction of the new church.  This is a restricted event to which no devotees, either from Sri Lanka or India, are invited.  The grand opening of the church is expected to be organised coinciding with the annual Katchatheevu festival in March 2017,” a source in the MEA said.

The decision comes a day after the Tamil Nadu Government dashed off a letter to Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar seeking “urgent action” to accord “no objection” for fishermen from Tamil Nadu to participate in the event. The famed St. Antony's Church is Katchatheevu is of significant cultural importance to fishermen of Rameswaram who had been using the island to take rest while fishing before it was ceded to neighbouring Sri Lanka in 1974.

A group of fishermen had also petitioned Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar early this week seeking permission for 100 fishermen to travel to Katchatheevu to take part in the congregation. A new building is being added to the St. Antony's Church in Katchatheevu.

The MEA source said the Indian Government would consider allowing Indian fishermen to travel to Katchatheevu during the annual festival organised in March. M Ilango, General Secretary, National Fish Workers Forum, told DC that the Union Government should reconsider the decision and allow Indian fishermen to participate in the church function next week. “This is in fact shocking. I can understand if Sri Lanka objects to it, but why Indian Government is not allowing fishermen. By this decision, India is toeing the line of Sri Lanka that Katchatheevu belongs only to Sri Lanka and no one claim ownership. There is every record to show that Katchatheevu was part of the Ramanathapuram zameen, ” Mr Ilango said.