Chennai, Apr 1 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a scathing attack on Congress and DMK on the Katchatheevu issue, saying that both parties have their family interests.

In a post on ‘X’, PM Modi said, "Rhetoric aside, DMK has done NOTHING to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests. New details emerging on #Katchatheevu have UNMASKED the DMK’s double standards totally. 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 PM was responding to a media report based on an RTI reply of the Ministry of External Affairs to the Tamil Nadu BJP President, K.Annamalai.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi said the Government of India under the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had ceded the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974.

In the reply to the RTI query, the MEA had responded that the first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had written that "the island was inconsequential" and that "there was no reason in continuing with this".

The document procured by Annamalai and in public domain clearly states that the then Attorney General and one of the best legal brains of the country during those days, M.C. Setalvad had advised that India had a good legal case in the Katchatheevu island as this island's rights were handed over by the East India company to the then Ramanad (Ramanathapuram) king.

The fishermen of Tamil Nadu have been facing a tough situation with the Sri Lankan Navy arresting Indian fishermen and impounding their costly mechanised boats. Since 2024 January more than 125 Tamil fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy and there has been growing resentment among the fishermen and their families.

Fishermen families are on strike in Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and many other fishing hamlets of Tamil Nadu against the arrests and impounding of costly boats.