Meanwhile, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has said that Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka to maintain good relations and to save the lives of lakhs of Tamils.Chidambaram, a former Union Home Minister, wondered why the Prime Minister was raking up an issue that was settled in 1974.That year, the Indira Gandhi government, to maintain good relations with Sri Lanka and to help lakhs and lakhs of Tamils there, negotiated with the island nation’s government.Following negotiations, a settlement was made on Katchatheevu, a very small island of about 1.9 sq km, and India acknowledged Katchatheevu as belonging to Sri Lanka, he said.In return, six lakh Tamils were allowed to come to India.”They have come here, their families are here, they have got full freedom, they are breathing free air. Their children and grandchildren are here. The issue was closed 50 years ago,” Chidambaram said.
Source link
