‘They don’t care’: S Jaishankar slams Congress over Kachattiu island issue

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New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s accusations against the opposition over the Kachatiu island dispute, saying the country’s first prime minister wanted to give the island to Sri Lanka.

The issue relates to 1974, when the then Indira Gandhi government recognized the island as a Sri Lankan area 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.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Modi shared a statement by late DMK MP Era Sezhiyan expressing anger over the Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreement signed by the then Indira Gandhi government, in which India gave up its claim to Cachatiu Island and called it an “evil deal.”

“Today, it is important to let the public know and let the people make their own judgment. This issue has been hidden from public view for too long,” Jaishankar told a press conference in the national capital.

“…We are talking about 1958 and 1960…The main figures in the case wanted to make sure that at least we should get fishing rights…The island was abandoned in 1974, Fishing rights were also given up in 1976… One, the most basic recurring (aspect) is the indifference shown by the then Central Government and the Prime Minister towards Indian Territory…

“The truth is they don’t care…” Jaishankar told a news conference.

address the press @BJP4India Headquarters. https://t.co/iiWFiCnPvc

–PhD. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) April 1, 2024

“In comments made by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in May 1961, he wrote: ‘I do not value this island at all and I will not hesitate to give up our claim to it. I don’t like that such things are pending indefinitely and are brought up again and again in Parliament.” So, for Pandit Nehru, it was a small island, it was not important, he considered it a A nuisance… For him, the sooner he gave it up the better… This view carried over to Indira Gandhi as well…” the minister added.

He put the Congress party in the dock for its total disregard for India’s concerns about the island.

“The Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi) is said to have said at the AICC meeting that this is a small stone. I am reminded of those days when Pandit Nehru called our northern border a barren land. I wish to remind them, After Prime Minister Nehru made this historic statement, he never regained the trust of the country. The same thing would have happened to the Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi), she said it was just a small stone, nothing It can be changed. Worry about the territory of our country.’… So, this is not just a Prime Minister… This contemptuous attitude… is the historic attitude of the Congress towards Katchatheevu…” Mr. Jaishankar said.

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