Congress 'callously' ceded island to Sri Lanka, says Modi

INDIA'S 50 years old choice to end a regional debate with Sri Lanka over a minuscule island has turned into a controversial political decision issue, with Top state leader Narendra Modi's party blaming the opponent Congress for undermining anglers' freedoms.

A 1976 understanding banished Indian anglers from waters around the 285-section of land (115-hectare) island Katchatheevu in the Palk Waterway that separates the neighbors, two years after a settlement on oceanic limits gave Colombo freedoms over it.

The uninhabited island was surrendered in 1974 by the then Indian top state leader Indira Gandhi under the Indo-Sri Lankan oceanic concurrence with her partner Srimavo Bandaranaike.

On Monday, unfamiliar priest Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said Sri Lanka had confined in excess of 6,000 Indian anglers and 1,175 fishing vessels throughout recent years, following the 1976 arrangement on the island, found 33 km off India's coast.

His remarks come a day after Modi blamed the Congress for having "unfeelingly" offered the island.

"Debilitating India's solidarity, honesty and interests has been Congress' approach to laboring for a very long time and then some," Modi said via virtual entertainment stage X.

Accordingly, Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge said the 1974 understanding had been "in view of a well disposed motion" and proposed that Modi's remarks accompanied an eye to general races set to begin on April 19, at which he will look for an uncommon third term.
https://www.srilankaweekly.co.uk/congress-callously-ceded-island-to-sri-lanka-says-modi/