Should Deserts Be Given Away Too? PM Counters Digvijaya Singh’s Claim About Katchatheevu

GG News Bureau
Karauli, 12th April. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s recent statement regarding Katchatheevu, an island near Rameswaram that India gave to Sri Lanka in 1974. Singh’s argument that the island is uninhabited was met with a strong rebuttal.

“If no one lives there, does that mean you can give it away? Then what about this desert? Will you say no one lives here?” PM Modi questioned during a public event in Rajasthan’s Karauli.

He further added, “An uninhabited area in the country is just a piece of land to them. They can give away any place in Rajasthan like that.”

Yesterday, when asked about the BJP’s claim that the Congress had handed over the island to Sri Lanka, Digvijaya Singh responded by asking if anyone actually lives on Katchatheevu. He dismissed allegations of contributing to the problems faced by fishermen as baseless.

His remarks have sparked controversy, with many in the BJP recalling India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s statement that Akshai Chin is barren land.

The BJP, attempting to make inroads into Tamil Nadu’s politics, has been emphasizing Katchatheevu ahead of the elections, hoping it will become a significant issue.

Katchatheevu was a disputed territory between India and Sri Lanka since the British era. The British, based on the traditional claims of the Ramnad zamindari of Ramanathapuram, had included it in the Madras Presidency.

However, disputes resurfaced after Independence, particularly concerning fishing rights around the island. To resolve the conflict and strengthen relations with Sri Lanka, the government led by Indira Gandhi agreed to give it to Sri Lanka under the 1974 Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement.

Initially considered to have little strategic value, the uninhabited volcanic island – 1.6 km long and around 300 m wide – has gained importance in recent years due to China’s rise and its increasing influence over Sri Lanka.