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'PM Modi gave clean chit to China': P Chidambaram, MK Stalin's counterattack over Katchatheevu row
P Chidambaram, a Congress stalwart, questioned why the Prime Minister is raising an issue which was settled in 1974.
New Delhi: Reacting to Narendra Modi's onslaught against the Congress and its ally DMK over the Katchatheevu island row, former home minister P Chidambaram claimed that China has been occupying Indian territory but the Prime Minister gave a clean chit to the Xi Jinping-led country. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin claimed that by raising the island issue, PM Modi is employing a "diversionary" tactic.
P Chidambaram, a Congress stalwart, questioned why the Prime Minister is raising an issue which was settled in 1974.
"Why is the PM raking up an issue that was settled in 1974? In 1974, the Indira Gandhi government, in order to help lakhs of Tamils, negotiated with Sri Lanka. Katchatheevu island was acknowledged as belonging to Sri Lanka. In return, 6 lakhs Tamils were allowed to come to India. The issue was closed 50 years ago," P Chidambaram claimed.
Referring to India's standoff in 2020 in Ladakh, he claimed Chinese troops are occupying Indian territory.
“2,000 sq km of Indian territory has been occupied by Chinese troops. The PM says no Chinese troops are present in Indian territory and no part of Indian territory is in occupation of Chinese troops. You gave a clean chit to China. He should talk about what has happened in the last 3 years instead of what happened 50 years ago. Chinese occupation is aggression. I would request the PM to speak about that,” he said.
MK Stalin questioned PM Modi's sudden love for fishermen.
"The people of Tamil Nadu want to put forth only three questions to those, who, after being in a Kumbakarna slumber for 10 years, are displaying a sudden love for the fishermen for elections. Why does the Union government return just 29 paise out of the Re 1 paid by TN as tax," he wrote on X.
"Why has not been a single penny given to Tamil Nadu as flood relief despite the state having faced two natural disasters (the floods in Chennai and Thoothukudi in December 2023)," Stalin claimed.
“Instead of involving in diversions, please respond to all these, Prime Minister,” he wrote.
Katchatheevu island is located between Rameshwaram and Sri Lanka. It was ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974 by the Indira Gandhi government.
On Monday, PM Modi targeted the DMK over the Katchatheevu issue, alleging that the ruling party did nothing to safeguard the state's interests. He said the Congress and DMK's "callousness on Katchatheevu" harmed Indian fishermen.
"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," he wrote on X.
On Sunday, PM Modi said the Congress weakened India's unity by "callously giving away" Katchatheevu.
Meanwhile, reacting to MK Stalin's attack, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said the DMK and Congress colluded to hand over the island to Sri Lanka on a platter. He claimed the act compromised India's national security.
"It was DMK leaders who were constantly raising this issue. The entire saga of 3 Cs, Collusion, Concealment and Conspiracy, is out in the open. How the first family of the Congress party and the first family of the DMK together colluded, conspired and concealed the handing over of Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka on a platter, thereby compromising not just our national sovereignty and security, integrity but also putting lives and livelihood of lakhs of Tamil Nadu farmers in danger," he said.
With inputs from PTI, ANI
