Chennai, Oct 4 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fiercely criticized Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), accusing them of a historic betrayal concerning the cession of Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974 and of ongoing political hypocrisy surrounding the matter.

In a strongly phrased statement, BJP state spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad noted that CM Stalin has blamed the Union government for the challenges faced by fishermen, while “deliberately ignoring” the DMK's part in “surrendering” Tamil interests.

“The people of Tamil Nadu, especially the coastal fishing communities, deserve honesty and reparation, not selective outrage,” Prasad stated.

Katchatheevu, an uninhabited island spanning 285 acres in the Palk Strait, was ceded to Sri Lanka by the Congress-led administration in 1974 through a controversial agreement.

The BJP contended that this process bypassed Parliament, neglecting constitutional provisions related to changes in national boundaries.

During this period, DMK founder and then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, despite being informed by the Ministry of External Affairs, “failed” to contest the decision beyond a nominal Assembly resolution.

“This was not ignorance; it was political expediency,” Prasad declared, referencing declassified government documents that reveal the DMK leadership was aware of the repercussions but chose silence to maintain its alliance with Congress.

The BJP also criticized the DMK for its inaction during its time in power with the Congress-led UPA from 2004 to 2014, a period marked by repeated arrests of Tamil fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities.

“Over a thousand fishermen were detained annually during that time, yet no diplomatic action was taken by DMK ministers,” Prasad asserted.

Conversely, the BJP recalled its own position, noting that then Jan Sangh leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had opposed the 1974 agreement to cede Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka in Parliament.

Since assuming office, the BJP-led NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly secured the release and repatriation of over 5,000 fishermen, including those facing death sentences.

Prasad emphasized that CM Stalin's alliance with Congress undermines his credibility to challenge the Centre and insisted that the Chief Minister “publicly apologize” to the fishing community for decades of betrayal.

He concluded by stating that only continuous diplomatic efforts under the Modi government can reclaim Tamil fishermen's rights and protect India’s maritime interests.