New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of negligently relinquishing the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka during the 1970s.
PM Modi took to X to share a news article providing a detailed chronicle of events leading to Sri Lanka’s acquisition of the island. In his post, he emphasized the untrustworthiness of the Congress party.
“Eye opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people’s minds- we can’t ever trust Congress,” he asserted on X.
Furthermore, PM Modi blamed the Congress for undermining India’s unity.
“Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting,” he added.
According to the article, former Prime Minister (late) Jawaharlal Nehru had dismissed the issue as inconsequential. It also alleged that the decision to relinquish the island was made despite staunch opposition from the Opposition.
Last year, PM Modi disclosed in Parliament that the Indira Gandhi government had ceded the Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka in 1974.
“These people divided mother India into three parts for politics…,” PM Modi had remarked in the Lok Sabha.
“Katchatheevu is an island between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Somebody gave it to another country. It happened under the leadership of Indira Gandhi,” he had reiterated.
Traditionally utilized by both Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen, the island lies between Rameswaram (India) and Sri Lanka. However, in 1974, then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi recognized Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory.
PM Modi reiterated this issue in a recent rally in Tamil Nadu.
Earlier this month, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin accused the Prime Minister of “blatantly lying” during his rally at Kanyakumari on March 15, claiming that Tamil Nadu fishermen were facing trouble from Sri Lanka solely due to the past “sin” of the DMK.
“The Tamil Nadu people know the true history pretty well; that the Katchatheevu island was ceded (1974, 1976 agreements) to Sri Lanka despite the stiff opposition of the DMK government. Is the Prime Minister naive to the extent of believing that a state government can give away a portion of the country to another country,” Stalin remarked in his post.
