Ram Setu: Centre to seek vacation of stay in SC tomorrow

New Delhi, Jul 21 (UNI) The Supreme Court will decide tomorrow whether the study by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to accertain if Ram Setu is a monument of national heritage, is required.

In the meantime the Centre is likely to seek vacation of interim stay against the demolition of Ram Setu granted by the Supreme Court last year.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and J M Panchal is going to hear a bench of petitions seeking declaration from the court that Ram Setu also known as Adam's Bridge, is a monument of national heritage and therefore it cannot be demolished or destroyed.

It may be noted here that the apex court had restrained the Centre from damaging Ram Setu while carrying out dredging activity to complete Sethusamudram project.

The Centre is also going to tell the Supreme Court tomorrow that it wants to go ahead with the completion of the project expeditiously and Ram Setu which is only a natural formation and not man made as claimed by the petitioners, will have to be removed.

According to the petitioners, millions of Hindus across the globe have believed for centuries that Ram Setu was built by lord Ram with the help of his vanar sena to reach Sri Lanka to free his wife Sita from the captivity of demon king Ravan.

It was also worth mentioning here that earlier the Centre has to withdraw its controversial affidavit filed in the Supreme Court questioning the very existence of events and characters including that of lord Ram described in Ramayana.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and Union Surface Transport Minister T R Baalu are facing charges of contempt of Supreme Court proceedings for enforcing Tamil Nadu bandh on October 1 last year for the speedy completion of Sethusamudram project in violation of the Supreme Court order.

The Centre is also likely to inform the Supreme Court that the ASI study is not necessary.

UNI SC PD RP BD1943