'Startling, Can't Trust Congress': PM Modi Blasts Congress Over Ceding Island To Sri Lanka

PM Narendra Modi said that Congress cannot be trusted as it has been weakening India's unity.

The fresh attack comes amid the intense Lok Sabha campaign by all political parties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today blasted Congress after an RTI reply showed that then Indira Gandhi-led Congress government gave Katchatheevu island away to Sri Lanka. Sharing the news on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi said that Congress cannot be trusted as it has been weakening India's unity. As per documents obtained by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai through an RTI application, showed that then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had said in 1961 that he would not hesitate in giving up claims to Katchatheevu despite India's claim on the island being stronger than that of Sri Lanka (then Ceylon).

"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," said PM Modi. 

By giving up its claim on Katchatheevu island, India also relinquished its rights including fishery and other resources that it enjoyed uninterruptedly from 1875 to 1948 under Raja of Ramnad. While Sri Lanka was also staking a claim on the island, the Indira government in 1968 following opposition pressure said that India's claim had to be balanced with the need for good bilateral ties.

Following discussions at the foreign secretary level held in Colombo in 1973, the decision to renounce India's claim to Katchatheevu was communicated to Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi in June 1974 by foreign secretary Kewal Singh. During the meeting, Singh highlighted the zamindari rights of the Raja of Ramnad and pointed out Sri Lanka's failure to provide any documentary evidence substantiating its ownership of Katchatheevu.

Reacting to PM Modi's attack, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said, "The problem with the PM is he makes statements without any references. If any agreement like this was made, we should know what it was... Secondly, what PM was doing for 9 years then? If he was in a position of this information, why was the PM quiet about it all this while? These are selective pieces of propaganda that they fake out. It is all because elections are going on in Tamil Nadu. All the surveys show the BJP will be badly smashed in Tamil Nadu..."