‘Can’t ever trust Congress, gave away Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka,’ Modi raised incident of 1970s

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi harshly criticized the Congress for handing over the Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka. Modi's criticism was sharing the news about Sri Lanka's acquisition of the island in the 1970s. The Prime Minister also alleged that the Congress party cannot be trusted.

'Eye-opening and startling. New facts reveal how congress callously gave away Katchatheevu Island. This angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people’s minds-we can’t ever trust Congress! Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting,’ Modi said on social media.

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!

Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been Congress’ way of working for…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 31, 2024

The Katchatheevu issue was dismissed as irrelevant by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. It also claimed that the article was given up despite the opposition’s staunch protest against the decision. Modi had also raised in the Parliament last year that the Indian government had surrendered the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974. These people divided the motherland into three parts in the name of politics. Katchatheevu is an island between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Some gave it to another country. Modi also alleged in the Lok Sabha that this was done under the leadership of Indira Gandhi.

Located between Rameswaram and Sri Lanka, Katchatheevu was an island traditionally used by Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi recognized Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory in 1974.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had accused the Prime Minister of lying on the issue during a rally in Kanyakumari earlier this month. Tamil Nadu people are well aware of the true history of giving up the island of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka despite the strong opposition of the DMK government. Stalin asked if the Prime Minister was naive enough to believe that a state government could give a part of the country to another country. During the rally, Modi alleged that Tamil fishermen from Sri Lanka are facing crisis because of the mistake made by the DMK government in the past.