The Congress has responded sharply to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's comments on the Katchatheevu island issue, accusing him of inconsistency and citing a 2015 RTI reply to support their stance. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram took to Twitter to criticize Jaishankar's remarks, suggesting that people can change their positions quickly. Chidambaram pointed out that a 2015 RTI reply justified India's acknowledgment of Katchatheevu belonging to Sri Lanka, questioning why the foreign minister was now taking a different stance.
Chidambaram also commented on Jaishankar's career trajectory, calling him a "suave liberal foreign service officer" who transformed into a "mouthpiece of the RSS-BJP". He described Jaishankar's evolution as akin to an acrobatic performance.
Another Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, referenced the same 2015 RTI reply to challenge Jaishankar's current stance on the issue. Ramesh questioned whether Jaishankar, who was Foreign Secretary at the time, was now disowning the reply given by the Ministry of External Affairs during his tenure.
Furthermore, Jaishankar's assertions about the Katchatheevu issue being a longstanding matter and the detention of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka were countered by Congress leaders. They highlighted instances where the issue was raised in Parliament and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's correspondence with Jaishankar's office, suggesting that it was not a sudden development.
Overall, the Congress's response to Jaishankar's remarks reflects their skepticism and criticism of the government's handling of the Katchatheevu island issue and its implications for Indian fishermen.
