Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday came down heavily on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress party over the Katchatheevu issue as the BJP intensifies its campaign in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha elections. Referring to a news report, PM Modi said that new details emerging on Katchatheevu have “unmasked the DMK’s double standard”.

In 1974, the Indian government, under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, signed an agreement with Sri Lanka relinquishing India’s claim to the island. This move was highly controversial, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where there was widespread opposition, as the island had been traditionally used by Indian fishermen. DMK MP Era Sezhiyan had strongly opposed it in Parliament, denouncing it as a surrender of territory without proper consultation.

A report published by The Times of India has now claimed that then Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi had given his general acceptance to the agreement in a meeting with Indian officials prior to the Centre’s announcement. The media report is based on an RTI reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai to his queries on the 1974 agreement between India and Lanka when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister.

The report suggests that Karunanidhi was briefed about the agreement and had expressed his inclination to accept it.

“Rhetoric aside, DMK has done NOTHING to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests,” Modi said in a post on X.

“Congress and DMK are family units. They only care that their own sons and daughters rise. They don’t care for anyone else. Their callousness on Katchatheevu has harmed the interests of our poor fishermen and fisherwomen in particular,” the prime minister added.

Katchatheevu houses the St. Anthony’s shrine, the only structure on the island. Under the June 1974 agreement, Indian fishermen can attend the annual St. Anthony’s festival and can also come here for rest and drying of nets. However, they continue to face arrest by the Sri Lankan authorities.

The prime minister on Sunday targeted the Congress over the issue.

He said, “Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been the Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting.”

This is not the first time the prime minister has raked up the issue. During the monsoon session of the Parliament last year, Modi said that the Tamil Nadu government still writes to him urging to “take back Katchatheevu”.

The BJP is hopeful that the issue will come in handy in its efforts to gain political traction in the Dravidian territory during the Lok Sabha polls, more so as it involves neighbouring Sri Lanka whose treatment of its own Tamilian citizens and Tamil Nadu fishermen has long been a charged political issue in the state.

(With PTI inputs)