Swamy moves application in SC in Ram Setu case
New
Delhi,
Oct
23:
Former
Union
Minister
and
Janata
Party
president
Dr
Subramanian
Swamy
today
moved
an
application
in
the
Supreme
Court
seeking
the
dissolution
of
the
ten-member
committee
appointed
by
the
Central
government
to
suggest
how
Sethusamudram
Shipping
Canal
project
can
be
completed
without
demolishing
the
Ram
Sethu.
Dr Swamy, on whose petition the direction were issued to the government not to damage Ram Sethu while continuing dredging activity, has raised objections to the inclusion of several members of the committee including its chairman Prof S Ramachandran whose anti-Ram Sethu views are well known.
Other members whose inclusion have been objected to by the applicant are R C Sharma, an anti-Hindu Marxist historian, and S R Wate, Deputy Director, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute(NEERI). Mr Wate was instrumental in giving clearence for the project which involved blasting of Ram Sethu and other rocks.
Mr Sharma had earlier rubbished as a witness in Ramjanambhoomi case that Babri Masjid had been built on the birth place of Lord Rama in Ayodhya.
According to the petitioner, Mr Ramachandran had already said, ''We the scientists having expertise in the field of geology and oceanography confirm that Adams Bridge is purely of barrier island formed due to natural process.'' Persons with such biased views cannot be expected to submit a fair and unbiased report, he added.
The government had formed a committee on October 5 to study the issue afresh to ascertain whether the project can be completed without destroying Ram Sethu, also known as Adam's Bridge.
Dr Swamy is seeking declaration from the court that Ram Sethu is a monument of national importance and Archaeological Survey of India should declare it a national monument to protect and honour the faith of millions of Hindus across the globe who believe that the 3-km-long bridge was built by Lord Rama with the help of ''vanar sena'' of Lord Hanuman to free his wife Sita from the captivity of Lanka ruler Ravana.
Dr Swamy is going to mention his application tomorrow before the Supreme Court for urgent hearing as the court is due to hear the main petition in January next year.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi is facing contempt of court action for allegedly enforcing a state wide bandh on October 1 in violation of the directions of the Supreme Court.
UNI