Doubling down on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charge regarding the opposition’s stance on the Katchatheevu issue, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Monday that the longstanding territorial and fishing rights dispute surrounding the island did not arise suddenly and has been a matter of debate in Parliament before.

He also mentioned that India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, himself wanted to give the island to Sri Lanka.

The Katchatheevu issue resurfaced following a media report based on a Right to Information (RTI) reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai regarding the 1974 maritime agreement between India and Sri Lanka, under which the island was transferred to Sri Lanka.

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While addressing a press conference in the national capital, EAM S Jaishankar said, “Today, it is important for the public to know and the people to judge, this issue has been hidden for too long from the gaze of the public.”

“We are talking about 1958 and 1960… The main people in the case wanted to make sure that at least we should get the fishing rights… The island was given away in 1974 and the fishing rights were given away in 1976… One, the most basic recurring (aspect) is the indifference shown by the then central government and the PMs about the territory of India…” he said.

Jaishankar asserted, “The fact is they simply did not care.”

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Referring to remarks allegedly made by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during an AICC meeting, Jaishankar drew parallels with past dismissive attitudes. “I am reminded of those days when Pandit Nehru called our northern boundary a place where not a blade of grass grew. After this historic statement by PM Nehru, he never regained the confidence of the country. The same fate awaited PM Indira Gandhi when she said that this is only a little rock and that there is nothing to worry about regarding the territories of our country… So, this is not just one PM… This dismissive attitude was the historic Congress attitude towards Katchatheevu,” Jaishankar concluded.

PM Modi attacks DMK and Congress

Targeting the DMK on the Katchatheevu island issue, PM Modi accused the ruling party in Tamil Nadu of failing to protect the state’s interests. New details emerging on the issue of India handing over the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka have completely unmasked the DMK’s double standards, Modi claimed in a post on X, referencing a news report.

The report suggested that former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had given his approval to the agreement despite the DMK’s public opposition to it.

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“The Congress and DMK are family units. They only care that their own sons and daughters rise. They don’t care for anyone else. Their callousness on Katchatheevu has harmed the interests of our poor fishermen and fisherwomen in particular,” he added.

Modi also aimed at the Congress on Sunday, alleging a pattern of actions detrimental to India’s unity and integrity over the past 75 years. He said, “Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been the Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting.”

What is the Katchatheteevu island issue?

Katchatheevu, located approximately 33 km from the Indian coast near Rameshwaram, has been a disputed territory between India and Sri Lanka since the British colonial period when both nations were under British rule. The British, referencing the traditional claims of the Ramnad zamindari of Ramanathapuram, had attached it to the Madras Presidency.

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