Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath says there has been no change, either by the central government of India or through diplomatic channels, regarding the ownership of the Kachchatheevu island.
Minister Herath made the remark while addressing the post-Cabinet media briefing held today.
The issue gained attention after Indian actor-turned politician Thalapathy Vijay made remarks about Kachchatheevu island during a recent political rally, sparking widespread discussion.
Responding to this at the post-Cabinet media briefing, Minister Vijitha Herath said that such comments are merely political rhetoric and hold no official relevance.
“Kachchatheevu Island belongs to Sri Lanka. It is Sri Lankan territory, and that will never change. Elections are currently underway in South India, and candidates often make various statements to win votes.
This isn’t the first time. Similar claims have been made on election platforms before. But none of those statements has led to any change. Vijay made his comment during a campaign rally, and it shouldn’t be taken too seriously. There has been no change from the central government or diplomatically. So yesterday, today, and tomorrow, Kachchatheevu remains part of Sri Lanka,” Minister Herath said.
When asked why the agreements made with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not yet been disclosed, the minister said that the relevant agreements are currently under judicial review.
“There’s an ongoing court case regarding those agreements. An online petition is also in progress. Let’s wait until the legal process concludes,” he said. (Newswire)
