Ram Sethu project would breach national security: Swami

Lucknow, Oct 4 (UNI) Janata Party supremo and former Union minister Subramanian Swamy today claimed that security of the country would be breached if the government continued with the Sethusamudram project.

''Defence minister A K Antony has expressed apprehensions over security if the project is implemented,'' he said.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Swamy alleged that the recent controversy over the demolition of the Ram Sethu was a nexus between the Congress and the DMK government in Tamil Nadu and claimed that the Sethusamudram project would promote activities of the LTTE. It would also benefit the private shipping company owned by Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu.

Announcing that he would file a contempt petition against Union Minister for Tourism Ambika Soni for giving wrong information on affidavit in the Supreme Court, the former Union minister said her claim that there was no research report on the Ram Sethu was wrong, as in 2003, the then Geology Survey of India(GSI) director S Badri Narain along with seven other scientists had gone underwater to study the rocks of the Ram Sethu.

''They had submitted a report of their findings in which they claimed that all the rocks were brought from other places and were tied with each other,'' he added.

He said Mr Baalu's King Shipping company and the Setusamudram project were prepared so that his ships got all the advantages.

He referred to recent accidents involving a dredging machine and crane which were engaged to demolish the Ram Sethu besides slipping of a Russian engineer at the site and said it proved that there was some ''invisible power'' to save the bridge believed to have been built by Lord Ram.

UNI