Katchatheevu, a barren islet about 14 nautical miles off Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram district, refuses to die as a subject of political discourse even though nearly 50 years have lapsed since India and Sri Lanka signed a pact to demarcate the maritime boundary line.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked up a controversy over Katchatheevu, a few weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha election in Tamil Nadu. Citing a report in a daily and posting it on “X” (formerly Twitter), he said: “Eye-opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu...”
Yet, the utility of Katchatheevu as an electoral issue is doubtful, if one goes by the results of Lok Sabha elections in the Ramanathapuram constituency since 1977.
