Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai on Wednesday criticised state Congress president KS Alagiri Selvaperunthagai’s remarks lauding former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s decision to cede the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974 as a “strategic manoeuvre”.
Annamalai accused the Congress and its ally, the DMK, of endangering the livelihoods of Tamil fishermen through what he termed as unilateral and poorly thought-out decisions.
In a post on X, Annamalai questioned the Congress leader’s justification, stating, “Does Selvaperunthagai realise that Congress and DMK’s strategic manoeuvre has cost the lives of our fishermen, many losing their livelihood due to constant arrests and the loss of fishing vessels?” He also condemned the Congress party for allegedly failing to table the decision to cede Katchatheevu in Parliament before its implementation.
The BJP leader contrasted the actions of the Congress government with the current administration under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Our Prime Minister Modi has been working tirelessly to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty and has bridged the gap in infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeastern region, which remained neglected during the Congress regime,” Annamalai said.
Annamalai questioned whether Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin shares the Congress leader’s stance on the matter. “Is the Congress party not ashamed for trying to justify a haphazard decision? Is Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin also of the same opinion as his Congress counterpart?” he asked.
Katchatheevu, a 285-acre uninhabited island ceded to Sri Lanka under the 1974 Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreement, has remained a contentious issue, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where political parties have consistently criticised the move for its adverse impact on Tamil fishermen.