The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday observed that fishermen can be permitted to travel in motorised country boats to Katchatheevu for the St. Antony’s Church festival, from the coming years, subject to rules and regulations. However, permission would not be granted this year, as the issue was brought to the knowledge of the court at short notice.
A division bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and R. Hemalatha observed that under the agreement between India and Sri Lanka, Indian fishermen and pilgrims enjoyed access to Katchatheevu without a travel document.
Fishermen from Kanniyakumari had moved the High Court seeking permission for allowing motorised country boats to Katchatheevu for the St. Antony’s Church festival to be held on February 23 and 24. The petitioners claimed that the fishing community offered its prayers at the shrine in Katchatheevu, which was built in 1905, by two fishermen from Ramanathapuram as gratitude to St. Antony after they had safely reached the mainland following a cyclone.
The petitioners claimed that even after Katchatheevu was handed over to Sri Lanka in 1974, an agreement was executed by both the countries to provide Indian fishermen and pilgrims continued access to it. The vessels of both the countries also enjoyed such rights under the agreement, they claimed.
They complained that only a limited number of mechanised boats were allowed to ferry pilgrims to Katchatheevu. These boats charged up to ₹ 1,300 per person for the ride. The cost proved to be high for the fishermen, who could instead use their own motorised country boats to travel to the island for the festival, they said.
Last year, the pilgrimage to the island was boycotted by Rameswaram fishermen following the gunning down of a fisherman allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy.
