Agitation against Sethu Samudram if alignment not changed : BJP

New Delhi, May 3 (UNI) Asserting that it was not against the Sethu Samudram Canal Project (SSP) intended to connect east and western coasts, the BJP today threatened to launch a nationwide agitation if the government were to go ahead to destroy Ramsethu, an ancient engineering marvel linking India and Sri Lanka.

Contesting the claim of Shipping Minister T R Baalu that there was no scientific evidence about the existence of any such ancient man-made structure in the proposed Sethusamudram Ship Channel alignment, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said the existence of the bridge between India and Sri Lanka was never in doubt and the minister should ''open his eyes'' to the evidence existing right from the British period.

He said the logo of Survey of India was ''Asetu Himachalam'' and in the Glossary of Madras Presidency the 30 km long bridge was mentioned by different names, including Adam's Bridge by Muslims and 'Tiruvanai' (the holy bund) by Tamils and 'Nalasethu' or 'Adisethu' in Sanskrit, connecting the Island nation with the Indian peninsula was allowing foot traffic till 1480 when a breach was made through the rocks during a storm.

''This is a Madras Presidency evidence much before BJP was born, the Minister should have a look at it,'' he said. The marine archaeologists have concluded that this man-made bridge was at least 18000-years-old, which millions of Hindus believe actually was Ramsethu.

He said the strategic reason why India should reject the present alignment was that it was close to International waters between India and Sri Lanka which meant that international naval ships would have access to it, endangering country's security.

''The gulf waters between India and Sri Lanka is historical and India should not accept United States' contention against claims of the two neighbours. The canal could spell ecological disaster for the marine life especially in the Kerala's western coast when the sea water containing radioactive thorium will be allowed to gush through the canal project,'' he said.

Dr Joshi, who heads the BJP's panel on Ramsethu, said his party was not opposed to the Sethu Samudram Project but if there was a minor alignment it can save the ancient bridge and the government will earn the goodwill of the people.

Asked if the BJP intended to take out a Rath Yatra against the project, Dr Joshi said the party will decide upon the agitational course but there will certainly be no Rath Yatra, he remarked.

UNI