Amid the Lok Sabha elections, the central ruling party BJP has held Congress and DMK responsible for handing over the one and a half kilometer long and 30 meter wide Katchatheevu island located between Rameshwaram and Sri Lanka to Sri Lanka 50 years ago and accused both the parties of adopting a double standard. have put.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading “rumours” using the Right to Information Act. He termed RTI as BJP’s new ‘ally’ in misleading people.
In this way, the issue of Katchatheevu, which was resolved between India and Sri Lanka, has come alive again after 50 years. Amidst the debate on this political issue in India, a commotion has started in the neighboring country Sri Lanka too.
After days of silence, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabri on Wednesday said the issue was resolved 50 years ago and there was no need to revisit it.
“There is no dispute on Katchatheevu island,” Sabri said while attending an Iftar party in Sri Lanka. They (people of India) are having an internal political debate about who is responsible for handing over the island to Sri Lanka.
Moreover, no Indian politician is talking about claiming Katchatheevu.”
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabri said, “This issue has been discussed and decided 50 years ago and there is no need to reopen it now.”
According to the Sri Lankan government spokesperson, however, the Sri Lankan government and cabinet have not yet discussed the issue.
But Sri Lankan media and social media are abuzz with reactions to the Katchatheevu controversy. Foreign Minister Sabri’s statement is the official response of the Sri Lankan government, which has come to light for the first time.
On the other hand, Sri Lankan media has adopted a critical stance on this issue. An editorial in ‘The Daily Financial Times’ claimed that Katchatheevu Island did not belong to India and it would have been abandoned.
The editorial claims that these comments have been made to incite nationalism in South India amid elections in India. “Dangerous and unnecessary provocations by a friendly neighboring country could have serious consequences,” the newspaper wrote in an editorial.
Colombo based newspaper ‘Daily Mirror’ has also written an editorial on this subject. Targeting Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar in an editorial, the newspaper wrote, “Regrettably, Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar, who appears to be adamant, has also given up diplomatic charisma and is trying to gain electoral advantage and incite nationalistic sentiments in Tamil Nadu. We are joining the tune of our Prime Minister for this.”
Let us tell you that BJP has accused the Congress governments led by Nehru and later Indira Gandhi of leaving Katchatheevu island under pressure from Sri Lanka.