New Delhi:
After Rahul Gandhi’s fiery speech in Parliament yesterday, in which he launched a scathing attack on BJP – large portions of which have been expunged from official records – the stage is set for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anticipated response

Here are 10 points on this big story:

Chandigarh:

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “five PMs in five years” remark, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Tuesday that similar things were said even in 2004 but the UPA government completed two full terms under one PM, Manmohan Singh.

Addressing an election rally at Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh on May 16, PM Modi had said the INDIA bloc wants to make five prime ministers in five years and claimed that it will disintegrate after June 4.

Mr Kharge responded by rejecting PM Modi’s claims.

“In UPA I and UPA II, we were supported by other parties and we completed the full term,” Mr Kharge told reporters here.

For 10 years, there was one Prime Minister, a person who came from the land of Punjab, ran the country and changed its economy, he said about former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Taking a dig at the BJP, he further said, “Whereas they did nothing for 10 years.”

Accompanied by former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Mr Kharge arrived here after addressing an election rally in Jagadhri in Haryana.

On the ruling party leaders’ frequent questions on the opposition’s “PM face”, Mr Kharge said, after the polls, the INDIA alliance partners will sit and decide this (if the opposition wins the election).

He said the BJP has been saying that the Congress or the INDIA alliance does not have a face like PM Modi. They used to say the same thing in 2004 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, the Congress president said.

“After the polls, alliance partners will sit and decide. Like we ran UPA government, in similar manner we will do this,” he said.

Replying to a question, Mr Kharge claimed that the INDIA bloc has gained good ground in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

“Everywhere we are gaining and they are losing. Our alliance will definitely stop the Modi government from coming to power,” he said, and added, “the people are fighting against PM Modi and we are supporting them”.

Voting for the sixth and seventh phases of elections will be held on May 25 and June 1 respectively.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accompanied by senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), ahead of a planned march to the BJP headquarters today declared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi can send anyone he wishes to jail. 

Mr Kejriwal alleged that the BJP sees AAP as a threat, prompting what he terms “Operation Jhaadu” – a concerted campaign to undermine his party. “The PM has made up his mind to crush the Aam Aadmi Party,” Mr Kejriwal said, claiming that the operation involves arresting prominent AAP leaders, seizing the party’s bank accounts, and shutting down their offices. 

“They have an ‘Operation Jhaadu’ ongoing, which is that ever since I got bail, the PM has not stopped talking about AAP, that AAP is working well and the whole country is talking about their work and this party poses a threat to the BJP, which is why it is imperative to tackle with this party now itself,” Mr Kejriwal said. 

In a video message yesterday, Mr Kejriwal announced his intention to march to the BJP headquarters alongside all senior AAP leaders. However, the police stated that AAP had not requested permission for any march and would not be permitted to hold a protest outside their premises. Additionally, in a traffic advisory, the police advised commuters to avoid DDU Marg, IP Marg, Minto Road, and Vikas Marg.

Despite Delhi Police’s statement, Mr Kejriwal and his top AAP leaders are currently marching towards the BJP headquarters. Several AAP workers were detained as they attempted to march towards the BJP office. DCP Delhi Central, Harsha Vardhan Mandava, said that Section 144 had been imposed on DDU Marg, prohibiting any form of protest.

The recent arrest of Mr Kejriwal’s aide, Bibhav Kumar, linked to an alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal has heightened tensions between AAP and the BJP. Mr Kejriwal alleges that further arrests are planned, including those of another AAP MP Raghav Chadha and Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj.

“BJP thinks that this way they can do away with us. No. That cannot happen, this is not a party but a force of 140 crore people who have done immense work in Punjab, Delhi and across the country that people must not have seen in the past 75 years,” he added. 

The Delhi Chief Minister accused  PM Modi of systematically targeting AAP leaders like Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, and Sanjay Singh by sending them to jail on various charges. “You think that you will crush the Aam Aadmi Party by putting its leaders in jail,” Mr Kejriwal challenged. “The AAP is not going to be crushed like this. You try it once and see.”

“We have provided free electricity and water, we have saved money with honesty and made electricity free. These things BJP has never done and cannot do as they are dishonest,” Mr Kejriwal claimed. 

Mr Kejriwal, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy scam, has been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court until June 1, allowing him to campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, he is required to surrender and return to jail on June 2, just after the final phase of polling.

On AAP’s achievements in governance, Mr Kejriwal stated, “We have worked on schools, clinics; everywhere we have fostered a good spirit and thought. You cannot bring down such ideology. You cannot trap or stop such ideology. It is spreading across the nation. You arrest one Kejriwal and 1,000 Kejriwals will be born in this country.”

The Delhi Chief Minister also addressed various allegations made by the BJP in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam. “If there was a liquor scam, then where is the money seized? Even in the Supreme Court, they said they have not been able to recover anything. How is it possible that if it is a scam of crores, you have not recovered even Rs 1,000?” he questioned.

He further criticised Prime Minister Modi for labelling him a “Khalistani politician” during a rally, describing such tactics as shameful and indicative of the lengths the BJP will go to malign its opponents. 

“PM Modi said at a rally that Kejriwal is a Khalistani politician, if this is what a PM has to say to woo voters then it is shameful. Just see how many more made-up stories PM Modi will brew now. BJP will go to any ends and will stoop lower,” Mr Kejriwal claimed.

A view of Katchatheevu island in Sri Lanka.
| Photo Credit: L. Balachandar

The story so far: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 31 raised again the controversial matter of Katchatheevu, a few weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha poll in Tamil Nadu. Citing a report in a daily and posting it on “X” (formerly Twitter), he said: “Eye-opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu….” Subsequently, the State BJP and the AIADMK sharpened their attacks on the DMK and the Congress while the responses were swift too. Even though almost 50 years have lapsed since the signing of the original agreement in 1974, the matter comes back to the fore as political parties use it for attacking their adversaries. On March 16, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M.K. Stalin contended that Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka despite strong protests by the DMK. He asked the Prime Minister what steps were taken by the latter to retrieve the islet. About one-and-a-half months ago, Katchatheevu was in limelight as, in late February, fishermen associations in Ramanathapuram district boycotted the annual two-day festival, as a mark of protest against the Sri Lankan Government’s continuing arrests of Indian fishermen on charges of poaching.

When did Katchatheevu become a part of Sri Lanka?

During June 26-28, 1974, the then Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka, Indira Gandhi and Sirima R.D. Bandaranaike, signed an agreement to demarcate the boundary between the two countries in the historic waters from Palk Strait to Adam’s Bridge. A joint statement issued on June 28, 1974, stated that a boundary had been defined “in conformity with the historical evidence, legal international principles and precedents.” It also pointed out that “this boundary falls one mile off the west coast of the uninhabited” Katchatheevu. The pact brought to a close the talks held between the two sides since October 1921. Initially, the negotiations were held between the governments of the then Madras and Ceylon.

How important has been Kachatheevu to the fisherfolk?

Fisherfolk of the two countries have been traditionally using the islet for fishing. Though this feature was acknowledged in the 1974 agreement, the supplemental pact in March 1976 made it clear that fishing vessels and fishermen of the two countries “shall not engage” in fishing in the historic waters, territorial sea and exclusive zone or exclusive economic zone of either of the countries “without the express permission of Sri Lanka or India.”

St. Anthony’s Church there holds an annual festival, either in February or March, drawing devotees from both sides of the Palk Bay, a tradition which has been going on.

What triggered the negotiations between India and Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka claimed sovereignty over Kachatheevu on the ground that the Portuguese who had occupied the island during 1505-1658 CE had exercised jurisdiction over the islet. India’s contention was that the erstwhile Raja of Ramnad [Ramanathapuram] had possession of it as part of his zamin. According to a news item published by The Hindu on March 6, 1968 which was based on the interview of the erstwhile Raja Ramanatha Sethupathi, Kachatheevu was under the jurisdiction of the zamin “from time immemorial” and it was the “last post’ of the Ramnad Estate. He added that the zamin had been collecting taxes till 1947 when it was taken over by the State government following the Zamindari Abolition Act. However, replying to the debate on the matter in Lok Sabha in July 1974, the then External Affairs Minister Swaran Singh asserted that the decision had been taken after “exhaustive research of historical and other records” on the islet.

How was the 1974 agreement received?

The present demand for the Katchatheevu retrieval traces its origin to the opposition that the pact generated in 1974. During the debates in both Houses of Parliament in July 1974, most of the Opposition including the DMK, AIADMK, Jan Sangh, Swatantara and the Socialist Party, staged walk outs in the two Houses. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was the Jan Sangh’s leader, had contended that the decision to transfer the islet had been taken “behind the back” of the people and Parliament. He was supported by Madhu Limaye, veteran Socialist leader. The then Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi, even in 1973 when the talk of the islet transfer had been doing rounds, had urged Indira Gandhi that the popular feeling was in favour of retaining Katchatheevu which “belonged to India and not to Tamil Nadu alone,” according to a report published by The Hindu on October 17, 1973. Three months later, he wrote a letter reiterating the stand, a copy of which was released a day after the 1974 agreement was signed. M. G. Ramachandran, founder of the AIADMK, which was a fledgling party then, had criticised Karunanidhi for “his failure to guide the Centre properly” on the issue and sought his resignation.

When did the issue get a fresh lease of life?

After remaining low nearly for over 15 years, the Katchatheevu issue got revived in August 1991 with the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa demanding retrieval during her Independence Day address. She later modified her demand to one of getting back the islet through “a lease in perpetuity.” The Tamil Nadu Assembly had witnessed a number of debates on the matter. In the last 15 years, both Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi had approached the Supreme Court on the matter.

What has been the stand of the Union government on the issue?

In August 2013, the Union government told the Supreme Court that the question of retrieval of Kachchatheevu from Sri Lanka did not arise as no territory belonging to India was ceded to Sri Lanka. It contended that the islet was a matter of dispute between British India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and there was no agreed boundary, a matter of which was settled through 1974 and 1976 agreements. In December 2022, the Union government, while referring to the two agreements, pointed out in its reply in the Rajya Sabha that Katchatheevu “lies on the Sri Lankan side of the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line.” It added that the matter was sub-judice in the Supreme Court.

New Delhi:

On the occasion of Vijayadashami on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that in India, weapons are worshipped not to dominate any land but to protect its own land.

“On Vijayadashami, there is a tradition of ‘Shastra Puja’ as well. On Indian soil, weapons are worshipped not to dominate any land but to protect its own land. Our Shakti Puja is not just for us but for the welfare of the entire world…” PM Modi said while addressing the public gathering at the Dwarka Sri Ram Leela Society at DDA ground in Sector 10 in the national capital.

Referring to the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the PM said that the country is celebrating the festival of Dussehra after almost two months of the Moon mission.

After a 40-day journey into space, the Chandrayaan-3 lander, ‘Vikram’, touched down on August 23 at the uncharted lunar South Pole making India the first country to do so.

“I wish all the countrymen a very happy Navratri and Vijayadashami. The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil. This time we are celebrating Vijayadashami when it has been 2 months since our victory over the Moon. We know the knowledge of Gita and also have the capability to build INS Vikrant and Tejas,” the PM said.

PM Modi further said the people of the country know the dignity of Lord Ram and also know how to protect the boundaries of the nation.

“Today we are fortunate that we are able to see the grandest temple of Lord Rama being built. On the next Ramnavami in Ayodhya, every note echoing in Ramlala’s temple will bring joy to the entire world. Only a few months are left for Lord Ram to reside in the Ram Temple,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)