Katchatheevu Island Row: Farooq Abdullah Claims PM Modi Gave Away India's Land To Bangladesh

Former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir and leader of the National Conference, Farooq Abdullah, criticized the BJP government for its inaction regarding the Indian land that Nepal allegedly occupied and also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of surrendering India's land to Bangladesh, referring to the Katchatheevu Island dispute.

Abdullah's comments were made in response to the BJP's claims that Indira Gandhi had given away the island to Sri Lanka in 1974.

On Tuesday, Abdullah spoke to ANI regarding the matter when he stated, "...PM gave India's land to Bangladesh."

He also added, " China has occupied our land in Ladakh and yesterday they also took the names of the villages of Arunachal Pradesh. They (BJP) will not say anything about that. I would tell them that when you point a finger at someone, remember that three fingers are also pointed at you."

Prime Minister Modi raised the Katchatheevu Island matter recently alleging that the Congress party had undermined India's unity, integrity, and interests during its tenure.

He cited a statement by the late DMK MP Era Sezhiyan, who expressed disappointment over the India-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreement signed by the Indira Gandhi government, in which India renounced its claim on Katchatheevu Island and referred to it as an unholy agreement.

PM Modi criticized the DMK party of Tamil Nadu for their involvement in the Katchatheevu Island issue and claimed that they did nothing for the people of the state.

"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! Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting," PM Modi posted on X, citing a news report.

How has BJP reacted?

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday accused the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu of spreading a false campaign on the Katchatheevu islet ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974, and for making "irresponsible" statements on the issue.

Late M Karunanidhi, who was DMK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister at the time, was aware of the then ruling Congress's move but did not object, she said.

The Congress, which failed to come to power in Tamil Nadu after 1967, owes an explanation to the nation for the loss of the territory which former prime minister Indira Gandhi described as a 'tiny mass of rock', she said.

Sitharaman claimed that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had described Katchatheevu as a "nuisance".

"Let them set right the lies they have been saying for half a century," Sitharaman said, while speaking to reporters after an interaction at the Viksit Bharat Ambassador campus dialogue programme here.

K Annamalai, the BJP leader in Tamil Nadu, expressed that the Modi administration is making every effort to reclaim the Katchatheevu island in order to safeguard Indian fishermen.

Annamalai told the media, "Katchatheevu was given to Sri Lanka with the consent of late Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi. He spoke with Kewal Singh - former External Affairs Minister. Now, the BJP has given a letter to EAM Jaishankar to get back Katchatheevu."