Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should speak on "Chinese occupation" of Indian territory, rather than about Katchatheevu that was ceded to Sri Lanka to maintain good relations and to save the lives of lakhs of Tamils.

Chidambaram, former Union Home Minister during his party-led UPA regime wondered why the Prime Minister was raking up an issue that was settled way back in 1974. That year, the Indira Gandhi government, in order 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 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." In an exclusive interview to PTI Videos, he said: "Now, why is the PM raking up that issue instead of talking about recent issues. 2,000 sq km of Indian territory is occupied by Chinese troops and that is a fact. The Ladakh MP (Jamyang Tsering Namgyal) has pointed it out and India is said to have engaged China in 21 discussions. Yet, the PM said no Chinese troops are present in Indian territory and no parts of Indian territory are under the occupation of Chinese troops." That was said by Modi publicly to all parties and all Chief Ministers and he gave a clean chit to China. Chinese media has disseminated all over the world that the "Indian PM has given a clean chit" to their country. "He should talk about what has happened in the last 2-3 years; instead of talking about something that happened about 50 years ago." That settlement of 1974 was based on mutual negotiations and in order to maintain good relations and to save the lives of lakhs of Tamils. "Whereas, Chinese occupation is an aggression. China has forcibly occupied our territory and I would request the Prime Minister to speak about that."

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