Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his charge that Indira Gandhi gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday asked why he did not take steps to get it back during his 10-year rule and alleged that raising the “sensitive” issue ahead of elections shows his “desperation”. He also questioned why Mr. Modi gave a “clean chit” to China after 20 soldiers made the supreme sacrifice in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh.
Mr. Modi cited a media report to assert that new facts reveal that the Congress "callously" gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka on March 31. "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," he said on X, sharing the report. Modi added, "Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting."
In a post on X, Mr. Kharge said that Katchatheevu island was given to Sri Lanka as part of a friendly agreement in 1974 and added that the Modi government had undertaken a similar “friendly gesture” towards Bangladesh on exchange of border enclaves.
