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Embarrassed Indian Government Withdraws Setu Affidavit |
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Written by Simon Jones
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Saturday, 15 September 2007 |
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An embarrassed Central Government today withdrew the affidavit relating to the "Ram Setu" filed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) after a huge furor erupted in political circles over the contents of the affidavit.
The furor was caused by the ASI's contention that there was no evidence to prove “the existence of the characters or the occurrence of events” in the Ramayana. This riled the BJP and other Hindu groups who launched a fierce protest over the contents of the affidavit.
BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani has indicated that the party would file a supplementary affidavit in the Supreme Court.
"The affidavit is the proof of government's thought process, which we have witnessed in many cases from time to time. We have named it pseudo secularism and this is the most horrendous example of this pseudo secularism," Advani told reporters.
The shallow waters of Sethusamudram have for long posed a significant hindrance for big ships, which were forced to navigate round Sri Lanka in order to reach the eastern coast of India. The idea of creating a transport route through the waters was first revealed by Alfred Dundas Taylor in 1860, who suggested that the passage of the ships could be possible if a deepwater channel was dug in the area, linking the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar.
The Government of India had for decades mulled over the prospect of dredging in the Sethusamudram and the step was taken in 1955 when the government appointed Sethusamudram Project Committee, which was given the task of surveying the feasibility of the project including the financial aspects and its benefits.
Headed by Dr A Ramasamy Mudaliar, the committee reported that such an idea was feasible and economically advantageous since it would shorten the shipping time by over 30 hours as well as shorten the distance to reach the eastern coast by 400 kms.
Though successive governments conducted numerous reviews of the proposal, "none of them reached a decision to allow the project". Finally the United Progressive Alliance government, headed by the Congress party, gave the go ahead for the project on June 2, 2005 and appointed the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project
According to the proposal, an 83 km long channel would have to be dug in the waters that will link the shallow waters of Pal Strait with Gulf of Mannar and will allow the passage of big ships through the region. The project will provide a huge economic boost to Tamil Nadu and the state government has given its full support to it, including a proposal to develop 13 minor ports along the coast in order to carter to the increased maritime traffic.
Such a move will also provide increased maritime security along the coast, preventing the escape and infiltration of the LTTE from Sri Lanka.
However while the intentions seem to be honorable, the execution of the project has assumed nightmarish proportions for the government. The ASI filing has stirred up a hornet's nest. Hindu groups contend that dredging for the $500 million project would demolish the mythical bridge that was believed to have been constructed by Lord Rama when he embarked to Lanka to fight Ravana.
Union Law Minister H.R. Bharadwaj admitted that the filing was in the wrong and professed to be a devotee of Lord Rama. “Lord Rama is an integral part of Indian culture and ethos and cannot be a matter of debate or subject matter of litigation in court," he stressed.
The Government has recognized the sensitivity of the issue and has withdrawn the affidavit and has sought three months to study the Sethusamudram project. the Supreme Court has allowed the withdrawal of the affidavit and has posted the next hearing on the issue in January 2008.
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