TOP STORY/ 'Like Nehru Justified China Taking Away Aksai-Chin': Rijiju Tears Into Cong's Stance on Katchatheevu

New Delhi: Asserting that mentality of Congress Party is same to this date, Union Minister of Earth Sciences and Food Processing Industries Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday tore into Congress leer Digvijay Singh's justification of Katchaevu handover to Sri Lanka, saying, “Digvijay Ji justifies Congress donating island to Sri Lanka just like Nehru h justified China taking away Aksai-Chin by saying: not a single ble of grass grows re”.

Rijiju's remarks come just hours after Congress leer tried playing down Katchaevu's significance while stressing that island is “uninhabited”. 

Earlier during day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while dressing a rally in Vellore, h lambasted Congress and DMK for ceding Katchaevu to Sri Lanka in 1974. Reacting to prime minister's criticism, Digvijaya Singh h said, “Does anyone live re on that island? He [PM Modi] is talking nonsense.” 

Responding to allegations that Indian fishermen are facing problems because of n Congress government's decision, Singh h said, “se are baseless talks without any substance.”

As controversy around Katchaevu island continues to spiral, Congress appears seemingly firm in its stance on matter with party supporting decision me by n Indira Gandhi government to give up control of island to Sri Lanka. 

Row Over Katchaevu Island

As Lok Sabha Elections draw closer, deces-old territorial and fishing rights dispute around Katchaevu island is in limelight with BJP and opposition engaged in a war of words over issue. While BJP is seeking an explanation from DMK and Congress about "ceding" Katchaevu to Sri Lanka and "coming clean" on issue, Opposition leers, on or hand, have alleged that raising a "sensitive" issue like this ahe of elections shows BJP's "desperation".

Earlier this month, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge h claimed that island was given to Sri Lanka as part of a “friendly agreement in 1974”, even as said, “Modi government too h undertaken a similar friendly gesture towards Banglesh in exchange for border enclaves”. “Why did PM Modi not take steps to get Katchaevu back during his 10-year rule?” Kharge h asked.

Last week, Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, in an exclusive conversation with Republic TV's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, h also tred guns at DMK and Congress, as he asserted that DMK was as much “party to decision on  Katchaevu”.

Stressing that it's “important for people to know” that DMK hasn't been completely honest on matter, Jaishankar told Republic, “Considering how much of an issue y me out of it, Chief Minister Stalin has himself written to me 21 times, raising issues of Tamil Nu fishermen… I think it was time that public learnt: Who's responsible for it? who was culpable? Who did it and who went along with that?"

minister furr drew attention to BJP-led government's stance on issue, and underlined measures taken by Modi government on matter. “PM Modi has himself repeatedly taken up fishermen's issue with successive presidents and prime ministers of Sri Lanka over years”, EAM h highlighted.

Several or union ministers including Nirmala Sitharaman and Anurag Thakur have also accused Opposition [especially ruling DMK in Tamil Nu] of spreing a false campaign on Katchaevu, and for making "irresponsible" statements on issue.

Last month, Sitharaman h said n DMK president and TN Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was aware of ruling Congress's move but “did not object”.

Katchaevu Island: How Did Controversy Erupt?

According to a report, which is based on an RTI reply obtained by Tamil Nu BJP chief K Annamalai, n Indira Gandhi government at Centre in 1974 h handed over 1.9 square km island located at Palk Strait, 20 km from Indian shore, to Sri Lanka. island is located between Rameswaram in India and Sri Lanka.

In 1974, Indira Gandhi-led government at Centre h accepted Katchaevu as Sri Lankan territory under "Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement."