Taking to X, Modi mentioned official documents cited by TOI to say that notwithstanding DMK’s public protestations, party stalwart and then CM of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi had agreed to the Indira Gandhi govt’s decision to hand over the island to Sri Lanka.
The PM alleged that the then governing party of TN did nothing to safeguard the state’s interests and stood unmasked following disclosure of what had transpired between it and the Centre.
Katchatheevu issue has unmasked DMK’s double standards: PM
New details emerging on Katchatheevu have unmasked DMK’s double standards totally,” PM posted on X, along with the TOI report.
He targeted Congress for the second day running over the controversial decision. “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 interests of our poor fishermen and fisherwomen in particular,” he said.
On Sunday, he had said, “Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting.”
PM’s remarks come in the wake of growing scrutiny of the agreement between India and Sri Lanka, signed during the tenure of Indira Gandhi govt in 1974. The TOI report was based on an RTI reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai to his queries on the matter.
Annamalai reiterated that Congress and DMK colluded to give away Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. “This is part two of expose of betrayal of DMK in ceding of Katchatheevu,” Annamalai said at a press conference, adding, “Ex-CM Karunanidhi was consulted twice before ceding Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka and he said for obvious political reasons that he will not take an open public stand in accepting Centre’s decision.”
He said, “But he assured the foreign secretary that he will keep the reaction low-key and not allow it to be played up. M K Stalin (Tamil Nadu CM) has to own up to this betrayal of his party and apologise unconditionally to our fishermen for putting their lives and livelihoods at risk for past 50 years.”
BJP is hopeful that the issue will help it in Lok Sabha polls since it involves neighbouring Sri Lanka whose treatment of its own Tamil citizens and Tamil Nadu fishermen has long been a charged political issue in the state.