Controversial godman joins movement to save 'Ram Setu'

Varanasi, Mar 28 (UNI) Controversial godman Chandraswamy today joined the movement to save from destruction an ancient undersea bridge between India and Sri Lanka, which the Hindus believe to be 'Ram Setu' built by Lord Ram's monkey army to cross over to Lanka.

The godman visited the Vidya Mutt of Shankaracharya of Jyotish and Dwarikapeeth Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati and after securing blessings from the seer he announced working for mobilising public supports and saints from all communities towards the success of the movement.

''A massive rally will be organised at the Ramlila ground on May 13 next where besides the four Shankaracharyas, saints from all communities and public representatives are likely to participate,'' Mr Chandraswamy added.

Later interacting with mediapersons, the godman predicted, ''If the Ram Setu was demolished under the Sethusamudram project, natural calamities starting with a tsunami will strike the nation.'' He, however, said such extreme circumstances were not likely to occur as the movement to save the Ram Setu will bear results forcing the government to shelve its plans of destroying the undersea bridge.

The Sethusamudram Project envisages cutting a traverse across the Palk Straits between Sri Lanka and India. It also involves creation of a navigable canal across the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay and Palk Straits, which will save 400 km of sailing distance between east and west coasts of India.

The project had met with opposition ever since a committee was formed in 1955 for the purpose. Finally, the UPA government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the inauguration of the project on June 2, 2005.

''The bridge, whose satellite images were released on October 8, 2002 by NASA -- US Space Agency -- is importantly the bridge that was built by the monkey army of Lord Ram to cross over to Lanka (now Sri Lanka) to rescue Goddess Sita from captivity of demon king Ravana,'' the Shankaracharya claimed.

''NASA has stated that the bridge is over 17 lakh years old and christened it as Adam's Bride. The bridge, however, was not built by Adam and Eve, but instead by the monkey army of the Hindu god,'' he added.

''The massive rally at New Delhi on May 13 next will be followed by a meeting where the saints will decide the future course of action,'' the Shankaracharya said.

''It seems the centre only acts on public demands when the non-violent struggle turns violent like the Nandigram episode,'' he said, adding the movement to save Ram Setu will always be non-violent.

When queried about the VHP's participation at the May 13 rally, the Shankaracharya said, ''They should first leave their demand of bringing the movement under their banner and only then will they be welcomed.'' He also said the VHP will also have to exclude the Ram temple movement from the Ram Setu movement if they want to seriously serve the cause.

''Let the Ram temple at Ayodhya come up later. First we have to work to save the Ram Setu from destruction,'' the Shankaracharya maintained.

UNI