VHP to protect Ramar Sethu: Togadia

Madurai, July 22 (UNI) VHP leader Praveen Togadia today announced the launch of a ''pan-Indian struggle'' to protect the mythical Rama Setu (the Adams Bridge) in the Palk-Straits and demanded an immediate halt to the ongoing Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project.

Addressing the Rama Setu Protection Conference here tonight, he accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Shipping Minister T R Baalu of being determined to destroy the 'Hindu Heritage' site and said questioning religious belief and faith was unwarranted.

The struggle to be launched from Tamil Nadu would be supported by the entire nation, the firebrand leader said adding that the RSS and VHP would campaign in all the villages of the country to garner support for this cause.

The campaign would be coordinated for three months and the ''struggle'' would be the ''last resort'' to protect the mythical bridge, he noted.

The VHP leader provided a new twist to the significance of the mythical bridge saying its destruction would affect the relationship with a close neighbour, Sri Lanka.

According to him it was regretful that the UPA Government, taking serious efforts for normalisation of relations with Pakistan, ''engaged in fomenting unrest in the country,'' was bent on carrying out the Setu project, knowing well that it would ''harm the ties with Sri Lanka''.

In his opinion, the Rama Setu remained a bridge between the Tamils of the country and the island nation and hence should be preserved.

Hindu Munnani Convenor Rama Gopalan and Former Union Minister and BJP Leader Pon Radhakrishnan were among those, who addressed the conference.

UNI