Pachouri meets Shankaracharya on Ram Setu issue

Narsinghpur, MP, June 5 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Personnel and Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachori today said the central government was making serious efforts to find an amicable solution to the vexed Ram Setu issue.

After a one-to-one talk with Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati at the latter's Ashram at Jhoteshwar near here for about 20 minutes last night, Mr Pachouri told UNI that he would convey Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other ministers concerned about the discussion he had with the Shankracharya.

He claimed that earlier also, he had arranged a meeting of the Shankaracharya's representatives with the Prime Minister and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on the Ram Setu issue.

After participating in a Congress training camp here, he held talks with the Shankaracharya at Paramhansi Ganga Ashram.

After the talks, Swami Swaroopanand told UNI that he was optimistic that the central government would forthwith stop demolition of the Ram Setu as it was a centre of religious faith for Hindus.

The Shankaracharya said since it was the government's duty to take care of forest and wildlife, similarly it also became its responsibility to conserve marine life and symbols of mythological significance.

''Adverse consequences could be seen if Ram Setu was demolished'', the Shankaracharya added.

UNI