Katchatheevu: Nation betrayed
What Congress did with Katchatheevu island amounts to more than a criminal conspiracy. It behaves like India is a personal property of Nehru-Gandhi family. Congress history shows that it had never faith and deep commitment to geographical integrity of this ancient nation
NewsBharati 01-Apr-2024 12:26:11 PM
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It’s pathetic and shameful for the entire country that it took almost 50 years to know what happened about Katchatheevu island. This seriously reflects the criminal casual approach of the Congress party towards the geographical integrity of India. Equally responsible is Karunanidhi’s DMK, which was party to the decision on Katchatheevu island. Both parties need to be punished for national betrayal for their grave mistake. Their crime is so serious that both parties have lost moral standing to work as political parties as they do not have faith in geographical and national integration. Indians also need to take very serious note of this episode, which is a stark example of the non-serious approach of Congress and DMK. People also should teach lessons to all those political parties, which are supporting Congress and DMK.
Katchatheevu is a 163-acre island, which was controlled by the British since 1921. The island was a matter of dispute between India and Sri Lanka. Katchatheevu island is very close to Rameswaram, which has been an integral part of India since ancient days. A quick glance at the history of Katchatheevu undisputedly makes the Indian case stronger. The island was owned by the Ramnad Kingdom of Ramanathapuram Rameshwaram, which later came under the Madras Presidency during British rule. Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka) claimed this island in 1920 and occupied it. Old inscriptions in Rameshwaram found mention of Katchatheevu island along with other nearby islands. The island was occupied by Portuguese, Dutch and British. Unfortunately, Indian politicians never paid enough attention to this island even before independence. Even as the dispute over control of the island remained unresolved, the Indian government signed an agreement with Sri Lanka in 1974, because of which it virtually conceded the island to Sri Lanka. We must remember that Indira Gandhi, daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, was the Prime Minister of India, when the island was given up. The then-Congress establishment did not even bother to understand the strategic importance of the island. However, Indira Gandhi alone cannot be blamed for this blunder. The Right to Information application filed by BJP leader Anna Malai unequivocally proves Nehru’s casual attitude towards the issue. On May 10, 1961, Nehru had said, “I attach no importance at all to this little island and I would have no hesitation in giving up our claims to it. I do not like this pending indefinitely and being raised again and again in Parliament''.
Can one imagine that this is the opinion of a Prime Minister of a country about the integral geographical part of his own country? Does the country run on whims and fancies of an individual, who is the top most decision-making authority? Do personal likes or dislikes overpower national interests? Can it be a solution to surrender if any valid topic is annoying the Prime Minister? Jawaharlal Nehru is the first to be blamed for this blunder as he set the ball in motion by making such irresponsible, insensitive and unpatriotic statements. Nehru’s statement on Katchatheevu island reminds his equally irresponsible and insensitive views on Jammu and Kashmir, which were largely influenced by his so-called international image and possible consequences in the Muslim world.
What happened in 1974 when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India was merely an extension of the Nehru line. RTI documents reveal how an agreement was signed with Sri Lanka without taking the people into confidence. It is shocking to know that DMK patriarch Karunanidhi supported the move and assured Indira Gandhi to manage the expected unrest in Tamil Nadu. Indira Gandhi and Karunanidhi committed the gravest mistake by assuming that Katchatheevu island was merely concerned with Tamil Nadu but not with the whole India.
The stand adopted by Indira Gandhi poses a serious question mark before her honesty and integrity as Attorney General M C Setalvad had formally put his opinion in 1960 that India had a very strong case on Katchatheevu island at international forums. As a Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi was expected to take Setalvad’s opinion seriously before signing any agreement with Sri Lanka. The issue was raised in Parliament on a couple of occasions. But the then deputy minister in the Ministry of External Affairs Surendra Pal Singh described Katchatheevu island as uninhabited. Surendra Pal Singh’s remark reminds Nehru’s response of Chinese aggression when he said, “not a blade of grass grows there”.
The Katchatheevu island issue has once again exposed Congress, Nehru-Gandhi family and Karunanidhi family. Katchatheevu island is not expected to be used as an election issue but needs to be addressed from an absolute ‘national interest’ point of view. Congress has become the biggest liability for the country when it comes to the geographical integrity of India. If Congress claims success in its struggle for independence, it has to accept responsibility for the partition. Congress was undoubtedly responsible for the partition. Nehru did not handle the Kashmir issue from a `nationalistic view’. It never made any attempts to liberate Pak occupied Kashmir. Congress never thought of abrogating Article 370, which gave special status to the border state. Congress did not pay enough attention towards insurgency problems in northeastern states. In fact, its policies encouraged divisive elements. Many politicians blame Congress for the Khalistan movement. Congress leaders supported JNU students, who raised anti-national slogans. Congress was never seen as tough with terrorist’ activities, which were trying to fuel divisive elements in India.
Congress has been committing all these mistakes for decades. It did not have any feeling of guilt for its failure in fostering national integrity and patriotism. This has been happening as its fundamental ideology has inbuilt serious flaws. Congress is deeply influenced by foreign ideas, which do not believe India as one nation. Congress arrogantly denies the existence of India as an ancient nation. It believes that India came into existence in 1947. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi does not hesitate to express his views on this line in Parliament as he has been protected by the Constitution. Congress has always ridiculed and humiliated the ancient existence of India. It has refused to accept cultural bonding, which kept this nation alive for thousands of years despite a series of invasions and aggressions.
Congress always treats India as its personal property, where national interests were never prioritized. Katchatheevu island issue was handled like it is private property of Karunanidhi and Gandhi family. Neither Indira Gandhi nor Karunanidhi felt it necessary to confide with the people on such a crucial issue. Same attitude was seen in Jammu and Kashmir where national interests took a back seat while family relations were the most determining factor. Congress was never emotionally attached with this nation because of its foreign ideology. It looked at this ancient nation merely as `a piece of land’. In the process, the entire nation has been kept at ransom as Congress ideology continues to support and encourage ideology, which divides this nation. For the past one decade, all such elements have gathered under the leadership of Congress for political reasons. Time has come to awaken and teach lessons to such elements. The Katchatheevu island episode has proved that India was not in safe hands when Congress was in power.
Satyajit Shriram Joshi
Satyajit Shriram Joshi is Pune based senior journalist.