'For them, that 'rock' didn't matter to India at all...' BJP fires another salvo at Congress over Katchatheevu
"It has come up in parliament questions, debates and in the consultative committee. The then CM of Tamil Nadu has written to me numerous times. And my record shows that to the current CM, I have replied 21 times on this issue," Jaishankar said.
FollowExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar accused previous Congress-affiliated prime ministers of showing apathy towards the Katchatheevu island issue with Sri Lanka, relinquishing Indian fishermen's rights despite contrary legal opinions.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Jaishankar highlighted that former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi trivialized Katchatheevu, ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974 as part of a maritime boundary agreement, referring to it as a "little island" and a "little rock."
"For Pandit Nehru, Katchatheevu was a 'little island' of 'no importance'. He considered the Katchatheevu issue a nuisance. He didn't want this issue to be raised in the Parliament again and again... For Congress, that 'rock' didn't matter to India at all!
He emphasized that the Katchatheevu matter has persistently been a live issue, refuting claims of its sudden emergence. Jaishankar aimed to dispel long-standing misinformation among the people of Tamil Nadu regarding the issue, asserting his decision to address it during the conference.
Jaishankar disclosed that the Katchatheevu matter has been extensively discussed in Parliament and has been a topic of frequent communication between the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government. He noted having responded to the Tamil Nadu chief minister's inquiries on the subject at least 21 times.
"It has come up in parliament questions, debates and in the consultative committee. The then CM of Tamil Nadu has written to me numerous times. And my record shows that to the current CM, I have replied 21 times on this issue. This is not an issue which has suddenly surfaced. This is a live issue," Jaishankar said.
Critiquing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for its public opposition to the agreement, Jaishankar alleged that the party's leader and former Tamil Nadu chief minister, M Karunanidhi, was fully aware of the agreement reached between India and Sri Lanka in 1974. He accused Congress and DMK of deflecting responsibility, despite being accountable for the current state of affairs, suggesting their involvement in creating the situation.
"Now, every political party in Tamil Nadu has taken a position on this. Two parties, the Congress and the DMK, have approached this matter as though they have no responsibility for it. As though the situation is for today's central government to resolve, there is no history to this, this has just happened, they are the people who are taking up the cause; that is the way they would like to project it," he added.
Jaishankar cited statistics revealing the detention of 6,184 Indian fishermen and the seizure of 1,175 fishing vessels by Sri Lanka over 20 years, asserting the Centre's efforts to secure their release. Looking ahead, he stressed the need to find a solution through dialogue and cooperation with the Sri Lankan government.
