'No ground' for Indian request for return of Kachchatheevu: Lanka Minister
Colombo (PTI): The statements coming out of India on "reclaiming" Kachchatheevu island from Sri Lanka have "no ground", the Sri Lankan Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda has said.
The senior Sri Lankan Tamil politician's comments came days after the Narendra Modi government targeted the Congress Party and its ally the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu accusing them of overlooking national interests in the ceding of Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974.
The BJP has also been targeting the two parties for not ensuring the rights of the fishermen wanting to fish in waters around the Katchatheevu island.
“It is the election time in India, it is not unusual to hear such noises of claims and counterclaims about Kachchatheevu," Devananda told reporters in Jaffna on Thursday.
“I think India is acting on its interests to secure this place to ensure Sri Lankan fishermen would not have any access to that area and that Sri Lanka should not claim any rights in that resourceful area”, Devananda said.
The statements on "reclaiming" Kachchatheevu from Sri Lanka’s hold has "no ground," Devananda has said.
The Sri Lankan minister said according to the 1974 agreement fishermen from both sides could do fishing in the territorial waters of both countries. But it was later reviewed and amended in 1976.
Accordingly, fishermen from both countries were banned from fishing in neighbouring waters.
Devananda stressed, “There claims to be a place called West Bank which is located below Kanyakumari - it is a much bigger area with extensive sea resources - it is 80 times bigger than Kachchatheevu, India secured it at the 1976 review agreement."
Devananda as the fisheries minister has faced pressure from the local fishermen in recent months.
The local fishermen have led widespread protests to stop illegal fishing by their Indian counterparts in the Sri Lankan waters. They say the bottom trawling by the Indians is harmful to Sri Lankan fishing community interests.
So far this year, at least 178 Indian fishermen and 23 trawlers have been arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy.
Devananda, an ex-Tamil militant who now leads the Eelam People’s Democratic Party, was named a proclaimed offender by a court in Chennai in 1994.
On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) steered clear of the row surrounding Katchatheevu island.
To a volley of questions on the Katchatheevu issue, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent comments on the matter.
"I would like to tell you that on the issues that have been raised, the external affairs minister has spoken to the press here in Delhi and also in Gujarat clarifying all the issues," he said.
"I would refer that you please look at his press engagements. You will get your answers there," Jaiswal said in New Delhi.
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Telangana govt rejects Adani's Rs 100 cr donation for skills university
Hyderabad, Nov 25: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government will not accept the Rs 100 crore CSR donation committed by industrialist Gautam Adani for the Young India Skills University being set up in the state.
The CM's announcement came days after the indictment of the Adani Group chairman in a US court.
In a letter to Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, the state government's Special Chief Secretary (Industries) Jayesh Ranjan said he has been "instructed by the chief minister not to seek the transfer of funds in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies".
While thanking Priti Adani for committing Rs 100 crore to the skills university, the official said the state government has so far not asked any of the donors for physical transfer of funds since the university had not received the IT exemption under Section 80 G. However, the IT exemption order has now been received recently.
Addressing a press conference here, Revanth Reddy said the decision was taken as the Congress government does not want to find itself in any unwarranted controversy amid the allegations against the Adani Group.
He said so far the Telangana government has not accepted a single rupee into its account from any organisation, including Adani Group, for the skills university being established to promote employment avenues for youth.
"I and my Cabinet colleagues do not want to be involved in unnecessary discussions and situations that would dent Telangana's image or my own," Reddy said.
Gautam Adani met the chief minister here on Octrober 18 and symbolically handed over a cheque for Rs 100 crore towards donation to the skills university.
Asked about the comments of BRS that the government should cancel the Adani Group's investment proposals in the state, Reddy said the government will have to take legal opinion for cancellation of any agreements as the other party can go to courts against unilateral termination of pacts.
On BRS working president K T Rama Rao's comments that the previous BRS regime did not allow Adani Group into the state, Reddy displayed photographs of former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Rama Rao with Gautam Adani to the mediapersons.
He also read out a list of Adani Group's investment proposals reportedly approved by the BRS government.
"Is he (Rama Rao) ready for a probe on these," Reddy asked.
When pointed out that the state government discussed investment proposals with the Adani Group though Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions on Adani for several years now, he said Congress is not against any investment proposal or corporate house but crony capitalism and violation of rules.
It is his responsibility to follow his leader when the latter is raising his voice on an issue, Reddy said.
