Uma exhorts saints, environmentalists to save Ram Setu

Ayodhya, July 25 (UNI) Bharatiya Jan Shakti (BJS) president and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti, on the second day of her hunger strike against Ram Setu demolition, today exhorted saints, environmentalists and social workers across India to come forward to protect the ''ages old Setu.'' ''The Ram Setu demolition will not be environmentally friendly.

Therefore, I appeal environmentalists and social workers to come forward and save it,'' Ms Bharti told UNI here.

''I cannot make a political capital out of the issue, as it is associated with the religious sentiments of the Hindus, including me,'' the firebrand leader observed.

''Development should be growth oriented. But, the centre is on with the Sethu Sumudram project, which will create unemployment to over three million fishermen both in India and Sri Lanka,'' the former union minister in the NDA government claimed.

The BJS leader said that to pressurise the union government to shelve demolition of Ram Setu, 2,700 km 'Ram Setu Bachao Yatra' has been started this morning from Rameshwar in Tamil Nadu, which will conclude on August 30 here.

Reiterating her hunger strike was not politically motivated, the expelled BJP leader said as criminal cases had been registered against her at Tamil Nadu regarding agitation, she decided to launch her tirade from the holy city.

Yesterday, after paying obeisance at the world famous Hanuman Garhi temple, she kicked off her seven-day hunger strike at the residence of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas former President late Paramhans Ramchandra Das, popularly known as Digambar Akhara.

''I will not allow demolition of Ram Setu. The NASA imagery had already proved presence of the underwater bridge and Geological Survey of India (GSI) had also found rocks attached to each other at the spot,'' she said.

UNI