Vijitha Herath Has Not Made Any Recent Statements on Kachchativu Island

The ownership of the Kachchativu Island has long remained a topic of debate throughout history, often resurfacing as a heated issue on India’s election stage. The matter has once again gained attention following the election victory of Indian Tamil superstar Vijay. This is an investigation we conducted into a claim circulating on social media, alleging that Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath had made a statement regarding the Kachchativu Island.

Social Media Posts:

Posts were shared across social media claiming that Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath had stated, “The barren island known as Katchatheevu Island is a major burden to Sri Lanka and maintaining it has become a significant headache even for the Navy.”

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Facebook posts published carrying this claim had been widely circulated in the following manner.

We took steps to examine the accuracy of this claim.

Fact-Check:

Defeating the two major parties that have dominated Tamil Nadu politics for more than five decades, DMK and AIADMK, Tamil actor Vijay, through his party “Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam” (TVK), reportedly secured a remarkable victory in the 2026 state elections by winning 108 seats.

His election campaign also drew attention to the issue of reclaiming Kachchativu Island for India. During a major rally of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam held in Madurai on 21 August 2025, party leader Vijay reportedly delivered a speech criticising the Tamil Nadu state government, as well as trade unions, for their failure to protect fishermen in the state. He further stated that, as a long-term solution, the Kachchativu Island should be brought back under Indian control, and made an appeal to the Indian Prime Minister in this regard.

Meanwhile, Jaffna District Independent Member of Parliament Arjuna Ramanathan stated in Parliament on the 5th of May that residents of Delft Island are without electricity for five out of seven days in a week. He further claimed that when Indian politician Vijay requested the Kachchativu Island, the President had rejected the proposal.

Thereafter he went on to suggest that not only Kachchativu Island but also Jaffna should be handed over to Tamil Nadu, arguing that if Jaffna were administered by Tamil Nadu, its residents would be better protected. The statement was made during a parliamentary session and can be viewed here.

Social media posts claiming that Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath made the statement, “The barren island called Katchatheevu Island is a major burden to Sri Lanka and maintaining it is also a big headache for the Navy,” began circulating following the election victory of Vijay.

In such a context, if the Minister had actually made such a statement, it would likely have been reported by major local and international media outlets. However, no such reports or credible sources were found. The social media post also claimed that it was shared by the “Asian Mirror” Sinhala Facebook page. But during our check, we found that no such post had been published on that page in the way it was being claimed.

Thereafter, we examined whether Minister Vijitha Herath had actually made such a statement by reviewing programmes, political speeches, and his official social media accounts. However, we did not find any evidence that he had made the alleged remarks regarding Kachchativu Island.

However, at a previous Cabinet briefing held during the same period, a journalist asked Minister Vijitha Herath about the statement made by Vijay regarding Kachchativu Island. In response, the Minister stated that neither the central government nor any diplomatic process had taken such a decision, and that Kachchativu Island has always remained under Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. He further added that statements made on election platforms for political gain should not be taken seriously or cause unnecessary concern.

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The Minister’s statement was also reported by Indian media outlets in the following manner and as follows.

Given his earlier clear position, it would not be accurate to suggest that the Minister later indicated any plan to hand over Kachchativu Island to India again. We therefore contacted the media coordinator of Minister Vijitha Herath for clarification.

He said the social media posts are false and that the Minister has not made such a statement. He also added that an official note shared on the Minister’s Facebook page confirms that these claims are untrue, as shown below.

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Kachchativu Island

The ownership of Kachchativu Island was formally settled through an agreement signed on 26 June 1974 between then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Under this agreement, sovereignty over the island was transferred to Sri Lanka, confirming that it is not part of India.Later, a further agreement signed in 1976 between the two countries also affected fishing rights in the surrounding waters, limiting access for Indian fishermen in the area around Kachchativu Island. As a result, disputes related to fishing activities and maritime boundaries in the region have continued to remain a point of discussion between Sri Lanka and India.

The issue of Kachchativu Island has long been a key topic in South Indian politics. From past to present, various South Indian politicians, along with fishing communities in the region, have repeatedly made demands and put pressure on the central government to take steps toward bringing the island back under India’s control. Further details are available here.

Also Read :

Has Katchatheevu Island been handed over to India?

Has there been a presidential order to ban screening of films starring Vijay in Sri Lanka?

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Conclusion:

Our investigation shows that there is no evidence that Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath made the statement, “The barren island called Katchatheevu Island is a major burden to Sri Lanka and maintaining it is also a big headache for the Navy.” We also found that no credible media outlet has reported such a claim.