RTI findings on Katchatheevu island becomes the latest flashpoint between BJP, Congress and DMK

In 1974, the then Indira Gandhi government recognised the island, about 1.6 km long and over 300 m wide, a Sri Lankan area under Indo-Sri Lankan maritime agreement.

Additional information on the controversial Katchatheevu island sought through an RTI application filed by the Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has the latest flashpoint between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Situated in the heart of the Palk Strait, Katchatheevu has long been a focal point in Tamil Nadu’s political discourse, particularly during election seasons. With the Lok Sabha elections looming, Katchatheevu has once again taken centre stage in Tamil Nadu’s political arena.

The findings of the RTI application, reported by TOI online, prompted a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM through this tweet and later at an election rally in Meerut stated that Congress 'callously' gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka and blamed the grand old party for "weakening" the country's integrity and interests.

"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 said on X (formally Twitter), sharing the report.

The TOI report stating the RTI findings reveals how Sri Lanka made up for its lack of size with “tenacious pursuit of 1.9 square km of land about 20 km from Indian shore based on claims which New Delhi contested for decades”.

The Congress hit back at the Central government, questioning PM Modi on China’s “incursions” into the Indian territory in the last few years, and the increased “belligerence” of “otherwise friendly neighbours like Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives” under his leadership.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was quick to latch on to the Congress comments, as he slammed the party and ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over the Katchatheevu island issue, saying ceding it to Sri Lanka resulted in the seizure, detention or apprehension of a large number of Indian fishermen and fishing vessels by the island nation.

Tamil Naidu chief Minister MK Stalin’s three posers added to the escalating debate on how the Congress and the DMK has positioned itself over the years on the issue of Katchatheevu island.

"If Tamil Nadu pays one rupee as tax, why does the Union government return only 29 paise?" the CM tweeted as the first question.

The second question directed to the PM was why wasn't Tamil Nadu "not given even a single rupee as flood relief despite facing two back-to-back calamities".

"In the 10 years of the BJP government at the Centre, was there any special scheme for Tamil Nadu?" Stalin asked as he posted the third question.

In 1974, the then Indira Gandhi government recognised the island, about 1.6 km long and over 300 m wide, a Sri Lankan area under Indo-Sri Lankan maritime agreement.