MK asks TN govt to act immediately on Katchatheevu

Chennai, Sep 11: 

DMK President M Karunanidhi today said the Tamil Nadu government should file a counter in the Supreme Court along with the documents proposed to be handed over to it by the heirs of the Ramanathapuram Zamin who claimed their dynasty owned the controversial Kachatheevu Island. Replying to questions, Mr Karunanidhi, quoting Princess RBK Rajeswari Natchiyar, the present head of the Ramanathapuram Zamin Family which owned the island once, said all documents under the possession of the family said they were the sole owners of the islet. She said they only thought about the welfare of the fishermen when they allowed them to make use of the islet.

The documents relating to the family ownership had even been handed over to the External Affairs Secretary in 1968. Even Kumar Sethupathi, another member of the Royal Family, had said all historical data proved the islet was part of the Sethupathi Dynasty. Hence, the Tamil Nadu government should collect all the documents and submit them before the Supreme Court immediately, Mr Karunanidhi said. Katchatheevu, a 285-acre islet situated 17 km north east of Rameswaram, had become a bone of contention between the state government and the Centre. The Union Government's submission to the Supreme Court that Katchatheevu was never a part of India has upset the entire fishing community in coastal Tamil Nadu as well as all political parties in the State.