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NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said PM Modi had manufactured a “false narrative on Katchatheevu” to divert focus from his silence in the face of Chinese provocations and occupation of 2,000 sq km of Indian territory after he gave a “free pass” to the belligerent neighbour.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh, releasing RTI information of 2015, said under then foreign secretary S Jaishankar, who is now EAM, the ministry had clearly stated that there was no question of acquiring or ceding the island as the area was not demarcated and under the agreement signed later, it lay on the Lankan side of India-Sri Lanka international maritime boundary line.”Is Jaishankar disowning the reply given by MEA on Jan 27, 2015?” he asked.
Taking potshots at the minister, Congress leader P Chidambaram said Jaishankar had somersaulted from a “liberal foreign service officer” to “spokesman of BJP-RSS”. He said fishermen have been detained by Sri Lanka during all govts, including Vajpayee and Modi regimes, and all have negotiated their release. “What has changed for Jaishankar to launch a tirade against Congress and DMK?” he asked.
Congress said Katchatheevu was part of a friendship treaty, just like Modi handed over 111 enclaves to Bangladesh in return for 55 under boundary agreement, and nobody pointed any fingers at him.
Spokesman Pawan Khera said what was galling was the land taken away by force, like China has done post-Galwan, and against which environment activist Sonam Wangchuk is holding a protest in freezing cold in Ladakh.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh, releasing RTI information of 2015, said under then foreign secretary S Jaishankar, who is now EAM, the ministry had clearly stated that there was no question of acquiring or ceding the island as the area was not demarcated and under the agreement signed later, it lay on the Lankan side of India-Sri Lanka international maritime boundary line.”Is Jaishankar disowning the reply given by MEA on Jan 27, 2015?” he asked.
Taking potshots at the minister, Congress leader P Chidambaram said Jaishankar had somersaulted from a “liberal foreign service officer” to “spokesman of BJP-RSS”. He said fishermen have been detained by Sri Lanka during all govts, including Vajpayee and Modi regimes, and all have negotiated their release. “What has changed for Jaishankar to launch a tirade against Congress and DMK?” he asked.
Congress said Katchatheevu was part of a friendship treaty, just like Modi handed over 111 enclaves to Bangladesh in return for 55 under boundary agreement, and nobody pointed any fingers at him.
Spokesman Pawan Khera said what was galling was the land taken away by force, like China has done post-Galwan, and against which environment activist Sonam Wangchuk is holding a protest in freezing cold in Ladakh.
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