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Priyanka Chaturvedi MP questions MEA’s stand on Katchatheevu Island
Priyanka Chaturvedi cited two RTI responses by the MEA in 2015 and 2024, respectively, and said that there were discrepancies in the stand of the ministry on the Katchatheevu island
Shiv Sena (UBT) member of Parliament (MP) Priyanka Chaturvedi on Monday alleged discrepancies in the stand of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Katchatheevu Island in Sri Lanka citing its two responses under the Right To Information (RTI) in 2015 and 2024, respectively. Her statement comes in the wake of a controversy over Katchatheevu with Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the Indira Gandhi government of “callously” ceding the territory to Colombo and external affairs minister S Jaishankar lashing out at former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for referring to the island as “insignificant”.
Citing the 2015 and 2024 RTI replies by the MEA, Chaturvedi, in a social media post, said, “As per the RTI response in 2015 when current Foreign Minister (Jaishankar) was serving as the FS (foreign secretary), it was said, ‘This did not involve either acquiring or ceding of territory belonging to India since the area in question had never been demarcated. Under the Agreements, the Island of Katchatheevu lies on the Sri Lankan side of the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line.’ Today (Monday) the Foreign Minister and yesterday (Sunday) the PM claimed it has been ‘ceded’ So is the change in stance for their election politics or has Modiji made a case for Sri Lanka?”
“Maybe @MEAIndia will be able to address this discrepancies in its RTI response in 2015 vis a vis 2024,” she added.
PM Modi on Sunday cited a report, published by The Times of India, based on an RTI reply obtained by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai, and said that the new facts have revealed how the Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka in the 1970s.
“This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people’s minds — we can’t ever trust Congress! Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting,” Modi said.
Further commenting on the issue on Monday, Modi attacked Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for failing to protect the interests of the state and accused it of “double standards” on the issue of Katchatheevu.
“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,” he said in a post on X.
“They (the Congress and the DMK) 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 added.
Jaishankar on Monday said Nehru perceived Katchatheevu issue as a “nuisance” since it came up repeatedly in Parliament.
He quoted Nehru as saying, “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 matter pending like this indefinitely and being raised again and again in Parliament.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, however, linked the PM’s stance to the upcoming general elections. He likened the island’s ceding to the swapping of enclaves between India and Bangladesh in 2015 under Modi’s leadership and said both were friendly gestures towards neighbouring countries.
DMK spokesperson Manuraj S said, “Startling that the Prime Minister’s eyes have been opened by a news article based on an RTI query filed by his party person and informationb provided by his government on an issue that is nearly 50 yeras old.”
