PM Modi calls the Congress’s decision to give the island to Sri Lanka a “anti-national act.”
Prior to the first round of the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu, scheduled for April 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi blasted the Congress on Sunday, accusing them of being “anti-national” for “callously giving away” Katchatheevu island in the Palk Strait to Sri Lanka.
The top brass of the BJP, including party president JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will lead the attack against the Congress and accuse it of undermining India’s territorial integrity. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to speak on the contentious issue on Monday.
“Recent information shows how the Congress heartlessly gave Katchatheevu away.” This has infuriated every Indian and reinforced the belief among the populace that they can never trust Congress. Referring to a media story on disclosures in a Right to Information reply that BJP leader K Annamalai of Tamil Nadu received, the PM stated in a post on X. The disclosures imply that, despite authorities at the time supporting India’s compelling case, India abandoned its claim to the island in favor of Sri Lanka.
The matter was raised by the PM at his Meerut rally. “For seventy-five years and counting, the Congress has worked to weaken India’s unity, integrity, and interests. From a security perspective, the island was very important,” the prime minister said.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the head of the Congress, described the PM’s comments as a “act of desperation.” In the ten years of your misrule, you have become aware of the problems with territorial integrity. Referencing a 2015 comment Modi made about the land boundary deal between India and Bangladesh, Kharge said, “Perhaps elections are the trigger.” Modi said, “This agreement is not just about realignment of land, but a meeting of hearts.”
This was your declaration applauding your own administration for implementing Indira Gandhi’s idea in 1974 (the year when Sri Lanka seized control of Katchatheevu and India renounced its claim). 111 Indian enclaves were moved to Bangladesh under your administration as a goodwill gesture, and 55 enclaves returned to India, Nadda added, but Kharge retorted that it was “part of Congress’ work culture to give away Indian land at the smallest opportunity.”.
But the Congress questioned the BJP’s outburst’s timing. “The PM is bringing up a delicate matter on the eve of Tamil Nadu elections,” Kharge said.
The head of Congress demanded that “Chinese transgressions” be addressed by the government. Following the great sacrifice made by twenty courageous souls in Galwan, Prime Minister Modi granted China a clear pass. The shocking thing is that you managed to incite hostility amongst friendly neighbors like Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives! Because of your failed foreign policy, Pakistan has never before purchased weaponry from Russia,” he said.
Later, the BJP retaliated against Kharge on the Land Boundary Agreement issue, stating that “this agreement was an exchange of land and enclaves, pending since 1947—ssomething Indira Gandhi also tried to do, but couldn’t.” In contrast to Jawaharlal Nehru’s act of squandering vast swathes to China or giving up our right on Katchatheevu Island.
