After Katchatheevu, Now Coco Island? Andaman BJP Candidate Accuses Nehru-Led Congress Of Gifting Indian Territory To Mynamar

In what appears to be another instance of generous parcelling of India's island territory to a neighbouring country under Congress, BJP leader Bishnu Pada Ray has accused former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of gifting the Coco Islands, once part of the Northern Andaman Islands, to Myanmar.

Ray who is also BJP's Andaman and Nicobar Islands candidate, criticised the Congress, accusing the party of consistently holding 'anti-India' sentiments.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called out the Congress for callously giving the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka.

In an interview on Sunday (14 April), Ray claimed that the Congress neglected the islands during its 70 years in power as per a report by The Economic Times.

He contrasted this with the current government's efforts, citing the construction of a shipyard and two defence airports in Campbell Bay (Indira Point) to counter China's influence.

He criticised sitting MP Kuldeep Rai Sharma of the Congress, alleging that Sharma had not contributed to the islands' development.

Kuldeep Rai Sharma, the current MP, won the 2019 general elections against BJP's Vishal Jolly. Polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is scheduled for 19 April, the opening phase of the elections.

In the Katchatheevu islands controversy earlier, documents had appeared suggesting that former PM Nehru dismissed the issue of Katchatheevu as inconsequential, and despite staunch opposition from the opposition parties, the decision to cede the island was made.

PM Modi had previously mentioned in Parliament that the Indira Gandhi government gave Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka in 1974, accusing the Congress of dividing India for political gains.

The island, located between Rameswaram (India) and Sri Lanka, was traditionally used by both Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen. However, in 1974, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi, India accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory.