Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday came down heavily on the Opposition Congress for allegedly giving away the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka during the tenure of the Indira Gandhi government in 1974.
Citing a “startling” news report, Modi accused the grand old party of “weakening India’s unity and integrity” during its long years of rule.
“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 75 years and counting,” PM Modi wrote in a social media post on ‘X’.
The Katchatheevu Island between India’s Rameshwaram and Sri Lanka was traditionally used by the fishermen of both countries.
In 1974, India and Sri Lanka signed the “Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement” and New Delhi accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory.
It is pertinent to mention that the island, located between Rameswaram (India) and Sri Lanka, was traditionally used by fishermen of both the countries. In 1974, then prime minister Indira Gandhi accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory under the “Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement.
The 1974 agreement formally stamped Sri Lanka’s sovereignty over the island.
Prime Minister Modi’s remarks came amid Congress party’s recent take down of the central government over alleged Chinese incursion in Ladakh.
Sharing a speech of Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate yesterday accused the Modi government of hiding China’s occupation of Indian land in the Union Territory.
“China is occupying our land in Ladakh, the Modi government is hiding it. The Modi government has annexed 4,000 square km of Ladakh. Land was given to China, but it was not discussed. If we say this, we are called traitors,” Shrinate wrote, citing Wangchuk’s speech.