The Congress, led by Jairam Ramesh, condemns Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mention of the Katchatheevu issue during the Lok Sabha polls, labeling it as “highly irresponsible” and a “severe distortion of history.” The party accuses Modi of jeopardizing India’s relationship with Sri Lanka and questions whether he and his colleagues will apologize for creating tension with a neighboring country.
Ramesh highlights the presence of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe during Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, emphasizing the potential diplomatic repercussions of the Katchatheevu remarks. The Congress asserts that the people of Tamil Nadu responded fittingly to Modi’s rhetoric and demands accountability from the BJP for stoking unnecessary tensions. Opposition leaders counter the BJP’s stance by citing an RTI reply from 2015, suggesting that the Modi government’s approach to the Katchatheevu issue may be driven by electoral politics rather than diplomatic considerations.