PM Modi hits out at DMK, says new details on Katchatheevu unmasked party's double standards

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (April 1) slammed the MK Stalin-led DMK over the Katchatheevu island issue.

The prime minister alleged that nothing was done by the party to safeguard the interests of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

He added that the new details which have emerged on India giving the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka have unmasked the double standards of DMK.

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Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, “Rhetoric aside, DMK has done NOTHING to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests. New details emerging on #Katchatheevu have UNMASKED the DMK’s double standards totally. 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 the interests of our poor fishermen and fisherwomen in particular."

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The remarks were made by the prime minister citing a report published by The Times Of India in which it was stated that then chief minister M Karunanidhi had given a nod to the agreement even though his part was against the deal.

Rhetoric aside, DMK has done NOTHING to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests. New details emerging on #Katchatheevu have UNMASKED the DMK’s double standards totally.

Congress and DMK are family units. They only care that their own sons and daughters rise. They don’t care for anyone… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 1, 2024

The media report was published after the Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai received an RTI reply to his queries on the 1974 agreement - in which the Katchatheevu island was given to Sri Lanka - that took place between Sri Lanka and India when Indira Gandhi was the country's prime minister.

On Sunday (Mar 31), the prime minister targeted the Congress over the Katchatheevu issue.

"Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been the Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting," he said.

S Jaishankar says 'PM Nehru wanted to give it away'

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar launched a scathing attack on Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), in a press conference, he said, "In 1974, India & Sri Lanka concluded an agreement where they drew a maritime boundary, and in drawing the maritime boundary Katchatheevu was put on the Sri Lankan side of the boundary."

“This is the background of the issue that we are discussing. In the last five years, the Katchatheevu issue and the Fisherman's issue have been repeatedly raised by various parties in the Parliament,"Jaishankar further said.

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He added that this issue has not become a ‘live issue' suddenly and said, “It is an issue which has been very much debated in parliament and in the Tamil Nadu circles. It has been the subject of correspondence between the union government and the state government."

"In an observation given by the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru in May 1961, he wrote, 'I attach no importance at all to this little island and I would have no hesitation in giving up our claim to it. I do not like matters like this pending indefinitely and being raised again and again in parliament.' So, to Pandit Nehru, this was a little island, it had no importance, he saw it as a nuisance... For him, the sooner you give it away, the better. This view continued on to Indira Gandhi as well," said the foreign minister.

(With inputs from agencies)