Katchatheevu island row: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hits back at PM Modi

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka' remark, reminding the government that even the BJP had taken a similar measure in 2015 by exchanging border enclaves with Bangladesh. Karge on X said that Modi's desperation was palpable due to the impending elections.

"Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi ji, You have suddenly woken up to the issues of territorial integrity and national security in your 10th year of misrule. Perhaps, elections are the trigger. Your desperation is palpable," he said in a post on X.

The Katchateev island had been a burning issue in Tamil Nadu, whose fishermen are routinely caught by Sri Lankan Navy while treading into their waters for fishing.

Although the matter was settled in 1947 by the then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi when it was decided to cede the territory to Sri Lanka, the matter has been often raked up in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier in the day, Modi launched the attack citing a media report based on an RTI reply Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai received on the decision of the then Indira Gandhi government in 1974 to hand over the territory in Palk Strait to the neighbouring country.

"Eye-opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people's minds- we can't ever trust Congress," he said on X, sharing the report.

"Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting." He raised the matter later at his rally in Meerut and linked the issue of the capture of Tamil Nadu fishermen and the seizure of their boats by the Lankan forces to the island treaty," he added.

In his Meerut rally, Modi said one more "anti-national" act of the Congress has appeared before the country.

The island was with India and was very important from the point of view of security, he asserted.

However, the Congress claimed that it was of no use and "cut off a part of Maa Bharti" and separated it from the country, he charged.

The country is still paying a price, the prime minister said referring to the capture of fishermen and their boats when they go near the island.