Countering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s charge of India ceding Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka during Indira Gandhi regime, the Congress party demanded that Modi should release a white paper on China’s encroachment along its border with India.
Responding to the charges, the President of Tamil Nadu Congress unit K. Selvaperunthagai told ANI, “First, you should ask Prime Minister Modi what is happening on the China border. How many square kilometres of area has been captured by China in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh? Ask him to give a white paper report.”
Questioning the government’s stand on the Katchatheevu issue, Selvaperunthagai asked what has the prime minister done in the last 10 years to retrieve the island from Sri Lanka.
Modi on Sunday charged Congress "callously" gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka, citing a media report based on an RTI reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai. “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!” Modi tweeted.
Annamalai said it was just part one of the expose and part two would expose DMK’s two-timing. “This is the first part of the chronology of the betrayal of Congress and DMK. Both these parties chose to align with Sri Lankan interests, handed over Katchatheevu on a silver platter and put to risk the lives and livelihood of our Tamil Fishermen,” he tweeted. He added DMK and Congress are answerable for the loss of innumerable lives of Tamil fishermen.
BJP legislator from Coimbatore, Vanathi Srinivasan tweeted, “For 75 years, Congress has consistently undermined India's unity, integrity, and national interests. It's essential to ensure they are held responsible for their harmful actions.”
The Katchatheevu charge comes as prominent scientist Sonam Wangchuk raised the issue of Chinese intrusion during protests for Ladakh statehood.
