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TN BJP will continue to press for retrieval of Katchatheevu: Annamalai
The Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party will continue to pressurise the Union government to retrieve the Katchatheevu island, from Sri Lanka, as it would facilitate the fishermen in Tamil Nadu to engage in fishing activities, along the Palk Straits, without any insecurity and threat from the Lankan Navy personnel, said its state Presiden, K Annamalai, in Rameswaram, on Sunday, according to a news report by The Hindu yesterday.
It said: The BJP Ramanathapuram district functionaries organised a series of events, on the visit of their state leader. With a host of fishermen, the BJP functionaries, led by Annamalai, took a boat ride, waving the Indian Tricolour flag in Rameswaram. He visited the memorial of APJ Abdul Kalam and paid tributes at Peikarumbu, and went to Kundukal fish landing jetty.
Speaking to reporters, he said that though Katchatheevu was handed over to Sri Lanka, by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, in 1972, and it had been described as a “settled matter,” steps are being taken now to retrieve it. The government, led by Narendra Modi, is keen to protect the welfare of the fishermen. So, the BJP unit from TN would keep pressurising the Centre on this issue.
The Katchatheevu, according to the fishermen in Rameswaram, would be more useful and productive for the fishermen from TN than those from Sri Lanka. While the fishermen can get catch only in Katchatheevu islet, it would be logically perfect to be demarcated with in the Indian waters, he explained.
After 2014, when Modi assumed office, the number of incidents of arrests of fishermen by the Lankan Navy had reduced phenomenally. Even in the case of any arrests, the Union government intervened and brought them back safely.
Thus, retrieving Katchatheevu would be the only option for a peaceful fishing, which would be taken up by the BJP, he underlined.
When reporters asked his comment on the Madurai airport incident on Saturday in which a few BJP cadres had allegedly hurled chappal at the Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan’s car and the late night development in which the Madurai BJP district president Saravanan had announced to quit the party, Annamalai said that quitting or joining a party is the prerogative of a person. The incident was condemnable as the BJP cadre should not have indulged in such an act. At the same time, Thiaga Rajan should not have degraded his position by picking up a quarrel with the BJP men. Anyway, the police are investigating into the issue.
The BJP has a long tradition of giving respect to every individual, irrespective of the caste, creed and community. The party would not tolerate indiscipline in any manner. In the Madurai incident, the BJP party had organised to pay homage to martyr D Lakshmanan. It was a solemn ceremony and such an act had lowered the dignity and hoped it would not recur anywhere in future, he added.
It has been reported that the former Superintendent of the Boossa Prison S Dhammika has been shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Akmeemana.
The Search and Rescue Communication Exercise (SARCOMEX-25) was successfully conducted on 11 Mar 25 between the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Chennai, India, and MRCC Colombo, Sri Lanka. The exercise aimed to further strengthen regional search and rescue (SAR) services and enhance coordination during maritime emergencies.
The exercise simulated two challenging maritime scenarios; a flooding emergency on board and a man overboard situation within the Sri Lankan and Indian Search and Rescue Regions.
These scenarios were designed to evaluate real-time communication, inter-agency cooperation, and the operational efficiency of both MRCCs.
The exercise provided a valuable platform to identify gaps in SAR plans and improve overall response mechanisms of both MRCCs.
The Prime Minister’s Office strongly condemns the fraudulent cryptocurrency scam advertisements currently being promoted on Facebook and Instagram, falsely featuring Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other prominent Sri Lankan figures. These deceptive ads, operated by foreign entities, aim to mislead the public and exploit the trust associated with well-known personalities.
It has come to our attention that these scam campaigns, originating from fraudulent accounts based in Lithuania, are actively targeting Facebook users in Sri Lanka.
Similar ads have recently featured Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Minister of Science and Technology MP Chrishantha Abeysena, and well-known journalists Amantha Perera and Sunanda Deshapriya, as well as other Sri Lankan public figures in previous instances.
Public Advisory
We urge citizens to exercise extreme caution when encountering online advertisements promoting cryptocurrency investments, particularly those falsely claiming endorsements from government officials and public figures. No government official or ministry has endorsed any cryptocurrency investment scheme.
Additionally, despite reports and removal requests, variations of these scams continue to appear on social media platforms, highlighting serious concerns about the inability of Facebook to curb fraudulent advertising effectively. We call upon Meta (Facebook’s parent company) to take immediate and stronger action to prevent the spread of these deceptive campaigns and safeguard Sri Lankan users from financial fraud.
How to Protect Yourself:
• Do not engage with or click on suspicious ads claiming endorsements from public figures.
• Report fraudulent advertisements directly on Facebook and Instagram.
• Verify all financial opportunities through legitimate sources before investing.
The Prime Minister’s Office remains committed to protecting the public from online fraud and will continue working with relevant authorities to address this growing issue. We urge media organizations and digital platforms to act responsibly in curbing the spread of misinformation and scams.
For official government updates, please refer to the Prime Minister’s Office’s official website and social media channels.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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