Absurd allegation: Chidambaram refutes Centre's allegations

As the decadesold territorial and fishing rights dispute around Katchatheevu Island has been brought back into the limelight with the BJP accusing Congress of giving away it to Sri Lanka Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram on Monday refuted the charges by the ruling party dubbing them an absurd allegationThe Congress leader speaking to ANI claimed that sufferings of over 6 lakhs Tamils who were in Sri Lanka compelled the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to acknowledge that the island belonged to the neighbouring countryIts an absurd allegation This agreement was arrived at in 1974 and 1976 PM Modi is referring to a recent RTI reply he should refer to the RTI reply of January 27 2015 when I believe EAM S Jaishankar was foreign secretary That reply clearly says that after negotiations on the island lay on the Sri Lankan side of the international border Why did Indira Gandhi acknowledge that it belonged to Sri Lanka Because 6 lakh Tamils were suffering in Sri Lanka they had to come to India as refugees As a result of this settlement 6 lakh Tamils came to India and they are enjoying freedom with all the Human rights here Chidambaram saidThe Congress leader further said that the issue raised by the BJP just days before the general elections will have an impact in INDIA alliances favourIt will have an impact in INDIA alliance favour BJP will get zero seats in Kerala and zero in Tamil Nadu In Telangana and Karnataka the Congress will have a far better number than the BJP he addedPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday targeted the DMK over the Katchatheevu island issue alleging the ruling party of Tamil Nadu did nothing to safeguard the states interestsNew details emerging on the issue of India handing over the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka have unmasked the DMKs double standards totally he said on X citing a news report that said that then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had given his concurrence to the agreement despite his partys public posturing against the dealRhetoric aside DMK has done NOTHING to safeguard Tamil Nadus interests New details emerging on Katchatheevu have UNMASKED the DMKs double standards totally Congress and DMK are family units They only care that their own sons and daughters rise They dont care for anyone else Their callousness on Katchatheevu has harmed the interests of our poor fishermen and fisherwomen in particular PM Modi tweetedThe media report is based on an RTI reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai to his queries on the 1974 agreement between India and Lanka when Indira Gandhi was the prime ministerDoubling down on PM Modis charge at Opposition over the Katchatheevu island row External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar today said Jawaharlal Nehru the countrys first Prime Minister wanted to give away the island to Sri LankaAt the press conference Jaishankar said prime ministers such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi dubbed Katchatheevu given to Sri Lanka in 1974 as part of a maritime boundary agreement as a little island and little rock asserting that the issue has not cropped up abruptly but was always a live matterThis is an observation by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in May of 1961 He says he writes 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 EAM Jaishankar saidThe island located between Rameswaram India and Sri Lanka was traditionally used by both Sri Lankan and Indian fishermenIn 1974 then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory under the IndoSri Lankan Maritime agreementThe 1974 Agreement regarding historic waters between Sri Lanka and India in the Palk Strait and the Palk Bay formally confirmed Sri Lankas sovereignty over the IslandThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever