New Delhi: Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had expressed his general acceptance of the solution suggested by the Center for handing over Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. But had said that he would not take a public stand in its favor due to political reasons. This happened when the then Foreign Secretary Kewal Singh met the Chief Minister in Madras (now Chennai) on 19 June 1974.
Foreign Ministry documents in the possession of AnyTV now reveal these facts. These documents also reveal the opinion of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding the island. Nehru’s noting of May 10, 1961 in the document states that ‘I do not attach any importance to this small island and I would have no hesitation in giving up my claim on it. I do not like such matters to be pending indefinitely and raised again and again in Parliament.
PM Modi made an issue
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made the Katchatheevu issue a major issue as he attacked the Congress government for compromising India’s territorial integrity by handing over the island to Sri Lanka under an agreement in 1974. PM Modi said that DMK leaders keep writing to him to get the island back but do not attack their Indian ally Congress for handing it over.
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Tags: Loksabha Election 2024, Loksabha Elections, PM Modi
FIRST PUBLISHED: April 1, 2024, 09:50 IST