DMK responds to PM on “island handover” to Sri Lanka, saying “Startingling that his eyes…”
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 31st March. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was retaliated against by the DMK on Sunday for allegedly claiming that the Congress had “callously” given the island of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka in 1974. The party claimed the BJP was “afraid” to campaign on its accomplishments and claimed it was too busy assigning blame to the opposition.
Manuraj S, a DMK spokesperson, described the problem as a “woeful and outdated political campaign” in a post on X.
It is astonishing that a news article about a nearly 50-year-old issue that was based on data from his government and an RTI request made by a party member has opened the Prime Minister’s eyes! He wrote, “After ten years in power, the ruling party is still preoccupied with accusing the opposition and is afraid to run on its accomplishments.
In any case, he declared, “this is a terrible and out-of-date political campaign issue.”
Citing a media report, Prime Minister Modi charged that the Congress had “weakening” the nation’s integrity and interests in 1974 when it “callously” gave the island of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka.
Following the disclosure of how the Congress government, led by the then-prime minister Indira Gandhi, transferred control of the strategically important island to the neighboring nation, PM Modi responded.
PM Modi said that the Congress “can never be trusted” and that the move “angered” the people, describing the RTI report as “eye-opening and startling.” The report is based on an RTI response that K Annamalai, the president of the Tamil Nadu BJP, received regarding the 1974 decision of the then-Indira Gandhi government to cede the territory across the Palk Strait to Pakistan.
Since there are few fish in Indian waters, fishermen from Tamil Nadu who live in districts like Rameshwaram go to Katchatheevu island. The fishermen attempt to enter the island by crossing the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL), but the Sri Lankan Navy intercepts them and holds them.
