Page 17 - Sri Lanka

Katchatheevu: Why getting Sri Lanka to see Indian POV may be an uphill task

BJP claims that the Congress government led by Indira Gandhi gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974

Before Katchatheevu, there was Bengal's Berubari: How a CM took on PM Nehru

The Berubari case went on to affect the Katchatheevu matter decades later, with opponents of the island's transfer to Sri Lanka citing it as a reason to reclaim the territory

19 fishermen detained by Sri Lanka return home: Indian High Commission

As many as 19 Indian fishermen detained by the Sri Lanka Navy were on Wednesday repatriated to India after being released by authorities here, the Indian High Commission said. "Returning home! 19 Indian fishermen have been repatriated from Sri Lanka and are now on their way from Colombo to Chennai," the Indian High Commission here said in a post on X. The Navy has so far held 23 Indian trawlers and 178 Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in the island nation's waters thus far in 2024, and handed them over to authorities for legal action, the Sri Lankan Navy late last month confirmed in a statement. The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters. The release of 19 Indian fishermen comes amidst a row over the Katchatheevu island issue after India's ruling BJP blamed

Stalin slams BJP for 'somersault' on Katchatheevu, says PM has no guts

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has said that the BJP has done a "somersault" on the Katchatheevu issue since the Lok Sabha polls are round the corner. Stalin claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have the guts to neither condemn Sri Lanka over fishermen arrests nor oppose China on its claims over Arunachal Pradesh. When that is the case, how can he talk about Katchatheevu, he said. In an election rally here on Tuesday, the president of the ruling DMK hit out at Modi for staging a "drama" and coming up with "stories" on the Katchatheevu issue and dubbed the disclosures by the Centre on the matter under the RTI Act as "wrong information." He asked how the government had given "wrong information" concerning the nation's security under the RTI Act to an individual belonging to the BJP (Tamil Nadu state chief K Annamalai). The BJP government had earlier failed to provide answers on Katchatheevu by stating that the subject was subjudice as the matter was pending before

DMK spreading false propaganda on Katchatheevu, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday accused the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu of spreading a false campaign on the Katchatheevu islet, ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974, and for making "irresponsible" statements on the issue. Then DMK president and TN Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was aware of the ruling Congress' move but did not object, she said. The Congress, which failed to come to power in Tamil Nadu after 1967, owes an explanation to the nation for the loss of the territory which former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi described as a tiny mass of rock, she said. Sitharaman claimed former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had described Katchatheevu as a "nuisance." "Let them set right the lies they have been saying for half a century," Sitharaman told reporters after an interaction at the Viksit Bharat Ambassador campus dialogue programme here. Ahead of the April 19 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu, the Katchatheevu issue has taken centre stage in the state, after Pr

Sri Lankan Cabinet has not discussed Katchatheevu issue, says spokesperson

Sri Lanka's Cabinet has not discussed the Katchatheevu issue so far as it was never raised, a government spokesman said here on Tuesday, after India's ruling BJP blamed the Congress Party for ceding the tiny island to Colombo in 1974. The Cabinet did not discuss it as it was never raised," Bandula Gunawardena, the Cabinet spokesman and minister of information told reporters here today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cited a media report to assert that new facts reveal that the Congress Party callously gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also slammed the Congress Party and ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over the Katchchatheevu island issue. On Monday, Jaishankar claimed that prime ministers from the Congress displayed indifference about Katchatheevu island as if they did not care and gave away Indian fishermen's rights despite legal views to the contrary. Citing details of the agreements between India and Sri Lanka firs

Katchatheevu island controversy: All you need to know

Katchatheevu, a small uninhabited island in the middle of India and Sri Lanka is making the headlines again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched an attack against the Congress for giving it away

Day after attacking Cong, PM Modi targets DMK on Katchatheevu island issue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday targeted the DMK over the Katchatheevu island issue, alleging the ruling party of Tamil Nadu did nothing to safeguard the state's interests. New details emerging on the issue of India handing over the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lank have unmasked the DMK's double standards totally, he said on X, citing a news report which claimed that then chief minister M Karunanidhi had given his concurrence to the agreement despite his party the DMK's public posturing against the deal. The media report is based on an RTI reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai to his queries on the 1974 agreement between India and Lanka when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister. Modi said, "Rhetoric aside, DMK has done NOTHING to safeguard Tamil Nadu's interests. New details emerging on Katchatheevu have UNMASKED the DMK's double standards totally." "The Congress and DMK are family units. They only care that their own sons and daughters rise. They don't care

Modi reignites Katchatheevu controversy, Cong say 'distortion of history'

In 1974, PM Indira Gandhi ceded the uninhabited island between India and Sri Lanka to the latter, aiming to resolve maritime border issues and foster bilateral relations

Congress callously gave away 'Katchatheevu' island, can't ever trust it: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cited a media report to assert that new facts reveal that the Congress "callously" gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. "Eye opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people's minds- we can't ever trust Congress," he said on X, sharing the report. The BJP is hopeful that the issue will come handy to its efforts to gain political traction in Dravidian state as it gears up for the Lok Sabha polls. The report is based on a RTI reply Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai received on the decision of the then Indira Gandhi government in 1974 to hand over the territory in Palk Strait to the neighbouring country. Modi said, "Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting." The report also cites first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's comments on the issue, a source of dispute between India an

Baltimore bridge: Biden okays $60 mn aid, Guv warns of long road ahead

Maryland Governor Wes Moore warned Thursday of a "very long road ahead" to recover from the loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge as the Biden administration approved USD 60 million in immediate federal aid after the deadly collapse. Massive barges carrying cranes streamed toward the site to begin the challenging work of removing twisted metal and concrete as a first step toward reopening a key shipping route blocked by the wreckage of the span. Moore promised that "the best minds in the world" were working on plans to clear the debris, move the cargo ship that rammed into the bridge from the channel, recover the bodies of the four remaining workers presumed dead and investigate what went wrong. "Government is working hand in hand with industry to investigate the area, including the wreck, and remove the ship," said Moore, a Democrat, who said quick aid is needed to "lay the foundation for a rapid recovery". President Joe Biden has pledged the federal government would pay the

Sri Lanka on high alert on Good Friday; security beefed up around churches

Sri Lanka was put on high alert on Friday and security beefed up in major cities across the country, with special surveillance around the Churches having Good Friday services, according to a senior police official Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said over that 6,000 police personnel, over 3,000 military soldiers and over 400 elite special task force members had been deployed across the country on the occasion on Good Friday. "We have identified 2,268 churches having Good Friday services to provide special security, Thalduwa said. Police have also set up a special hotline to report any suspicious movements near the churches. The police said they were taking all precautions in view of the fifth anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings which killed 270 people, including 11 Indians. Meanwhile, the Magistrates Court in central Colombo's Maligawatta has issued a summons to former president Maithripala Sirisena to appear before the court on April 4 to record a statement. T

Sri Lankan PM Dinesh Gunawardena meets Chinese President Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping has assured continuous support to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena for Sri Lanka's efforts for political and socio-economic progress and also said Beijing will stand for safeguarding the island nation's territorial integrity and sovereignty. China and Sri Lanka agreed to continue to act under the friendship, peace, mutual respect and fivefold principle in international affairs that do not interfere in the internal affairs of a country during a meeting between Xi and Gunawardena on Wednesday at Great Hall in Beijing, the prime minister's office said in a statement here on Thursday. Chinese President assured continuous support of China to Sri Lanka's efforts for political and socioeconomic progress. The Chinese President said that China will always stand for safeguarding independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka, the statement said. It was emphasised that bilateral relations should be based on mutual respect and mutual productivity

Sri Lanka's economy records 4.5% growth in fourth quarter of 2023

After six successive quarters of negative growth, Sri Lanka's bankrupt economy is estimated to have recorded a growth of 4.5 per cent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2023, the Central Bank announced here on Tuesday. It was only during the third quarter of 2023 that the economy recorded positive growth after six successive quarters of negative growth experienced by the cash-strapped economy. The headline inflation, as measured by the year-on-year change in the Colombo Consumer Price Index, had decelerated to 5.9 per cent in February from 6.4 per cent in January. The gross official reserves improved to USD 4.5 billion by the end of February 2024, which includes the swap facility from the People's Bank of China. Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said the reserve buildup was better than the Central Bank's expectations. The reserve buildup was supported by considerable net purchases by the Central Bank from the domestic foreign exchange market amidst increased foreign currency inflow

McDonald's closes stores in Sri Lanka after deal with partner ended: Lawyer

Wijewardane declined to describe the issues but local media reported that McDonald's went to court against Abans over allegations of poor hygiene

India provides grants to build houses in Buddhist sacred town of Sri Lanka

India has signed an additional grant of Sri Lanka Rupees 150 million to build houses and infrastructure facilities in the Buddhist sacred town of Anuradhapura, the Indian High Commission has said. Santosh Jha, the High Commissioner of India, and the relevant Sri Lankan officials on March 21 exchanged letters about the grant to the island nation. With this, the Indian government's total commitment to the project currently stands at SLR 450 million for the construction of houses and infrastructure facilities in Sobitha Thero village of Anuradhapura. The late Sobhitha Thero was an iconic Buddhist monk in the island nation's good governance movement. Responding to the drastic changes in the economic landscape of Sri Lanka, the Government of India decided to infuse additional funds into nine ongoing grant projects to expeditiously complete these projects, while also minimising the impact of the sharp rise in the cost of construction materials on the original scope of projects. The exten

Foreign research ships allowed for replenishment after Chinese protest: SL

Sri Lanka has said it will allow foreign offshore research ships for replenishments at its ports despite a one-year ban on such vessels, a senior official has said after China protested to Colombo for allowing a German survey ship but turning down Beijing's similar request. This is the first time Sri Lanka has officially admitted that foreign research vessels will be allowed for replenishments since President Ranil Wickremesinghe's government imposed a one-year ban on offshore research vessels in December last year after strong security concerns raised by India and the US following the visit of two Chinese high-tech research vessels in 14 months. "The ban on foreign ships is for research purposes, not on replenishment," the Economy Next portal quoted Niluka Kadurugamuwa, Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry Spokesman, as saying. There was a German research vessel recently for replenishment and Sri Lanka allowed it, he said. Chinese Embassy in Colombo has raised strong protest against the m

Sri Lankan Prez Wickremesinghe instructs Cabinet to prepare for elections

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed his Cabinet to prepare for the presidential election to be held later this year, as the cash-starved nation strives to recover from its worst economic crisis. The next presidential election must be called by the elections commission by September and must be held by mid-November. The parliament election is not due before August of 2025 but President Wickremesinghe has the power to hold it anytime now by dissolving the 225-member Assembly elected in August 2020. Ending speculation, Wickremesinghe during a Cabinet meeting on Monday announced that the presidential election will be held first and instructed it to prepare for the polls, news portal Daily Mirror reported on Tuesday, quoting sources. Citing the Constitution, Wickremesinghe, 74, said the presidential election should take place first, and arrangements will be made accordingly. The election will be the first held after Sri Lanka plunged into a severe economic crisis in

Ballot boxes for Malvides' polls to be placed in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia

The ballot boxes for Maldives' upcoming parliamentary elections will be placed in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, after around 11,000 Maldivians submitted re-registration requests to relocate their polling stations, the country's election commission announced on Sunday. The six-day window for people to relocate their voting stations for the April 21 parliamentary elections expired on Saturday, media reports said, citing an Elections Commission notification. The top electoral body said that ballot boxes for the island nation's elections will also be placed in Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), the capital of Kerala, Sri Lanka's Colombo and Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur after at least 150 people re-register to vote in each of the three countries. "As previously, enough people registered in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. And since 150 people had registered in Trivandrum, India, we have decided to set up a ballot box there," web portal adadhu.com quoted EC's secretary-general Hassan Zakariyya as ...

21 fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka, TN parties tell Centre to seek action

The Tamil Nadu unit of BJP and the PMK on Sunday flagged the arrest of 21 more fishermen by Sri Lanka and urged the Centre to swiftly secure the release of fishers and their boats. Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and PMK top leader Anbumani Ramadoss said 21 fishermen have been arrested by the island nation. Also, their two boats have been seized. The fishermen were arrested on the night of March 16 by Lankan authorities. Writing to External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, Annamalai said: "We bring to your kind attention the detention of 21 fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy and 2 fishing boats belonging to these fishermen were also apprehended. We request the intervention of our External affairs ministry to facilitate the early repatriation of the detainees and the release of their fishing boats." Annamalai posted a copy of his letter to the minister on 'X'. In a post on 'X', Anbumani, also a Rajya Sabha MP, said during the past one week, as many as 58