Indians to be allowed for Katchatheevu festival: SL minister

Madurai: Sri Lanka’s minister of fisheries Douglas

Devananda

stated that arrangements will be made for Indian devotees to participate in the Katchatheevu festival on March 11 and 12. He said that he has given this assurance to a senior DMK leader who spoke to the minister over the phone on behalf of chief minister M K Stalin on Sunday.In a statement, Devananda said that the organising committee of the festival had resolved not to allow Indian devotees due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This raised concerns among the devotees who had made representations to the Tamil Nadu government.Stalin wrote to Union minister of external affairs S Jaishankar to facilitate the participation of Tamil Nadu fishermen in the festival. As part of the TN government’s efforts, a senior DMK leader also spoke to Devananda.The Lankan minister stated that he has given an assurance to the senior DMK leader that at the festival it will also be arranged for peaceful talks between the sea workers (fishermen) from both the countries and to create a healthy future and conducive condition for fishermen of both the countries.