S Jaishankar refutes DMK’s allegations against Katchatheevu

S Jaishankar said the Congress and DMK are treating the Katchatheevu issue as if they do not bear any responsibility.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday refuted the DMK’s claim that it was not consulted on the issue of Kachatiu Island, which was “handed over” to Sri Lanka in 1974, and said he had replied to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister 21 times on the matter. .

Here are the top ten quotes from the foreign minister in this line:

1. “We’re talking about 1958 and 1960. The leading figures in the case wanted to make sure that we should at least get fishing rights. The island was given up in 1974 and the fishing rights were given up in 1976.”
2. “One, the basic recurring (aspect) is the indifference shown by the central government and the prime minister of the day towards Indian territory. The fact is they just don’t care.”
3. “For Pandit Nehru, it was a small island, unimportant, he saw it as a nuisance. For him, the sooner he gave up, the better. This view was also continued by Indira Gandhi .”
4. “The Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi) is said to have said at the AICC meeting that this is a bit of a rock… So, this is not just a Prime Minister. This dismissive attitude is the historic attitude of the Congress towards Katchatheevu.”
5. “I am reminded of those days when Pandit Nehru called our northern border a barren land. I would like to remind that after Prime Minister Nehru made this historic statement, he never regained the national sovereignty. trust.”
6. “Fishermen are still being detained today, boats are still being impounded and the issue is still being raised in Parliament. It’s being raised in Parliament by two parties that are doing this.”
7. “Whenever someone is arrested, how do you think they (fishermen) are released? It’s good to make a statement in Chennai, but we are the ones doing the work.”
8. “We now not only know who did it, we also know who hid it”
9. “The DMK has questioned the handover of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka and claimed that it was not consulted with the Tamil Nadu government. In fact, it was fully aware of the situation. The Katchatheevu issue is a matter of frequent correspondence between the Center and Tamil Nadu. I said on the 21st Replied to the Chief Minister times”.
10. “Congress and DMK are treating the Katchatheevu issue as if they do not bear any responsibility.”

What is Katchatheevu Island Row?

In 1974, the then Indira Gandhi government recognized the island, which is about 1.6 kilometers long and more than 300 meters wide, as an area of ​​Sri Lanka under the Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreement. The issue resurfaced after media reports based on an RTI reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai regarding the 1974 agreement.