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Puri Shankaracharya opposes Sethusamudram project

Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR: Pointing out that the proposed Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project would destroy mythological `Ram Setu', Puri Shankaracharya Nishcalanand Saraswatee here on Wednesday declared to launch a mass movement to protect the `monument'.

Addressing a press conference here, the seer said, "I have already apprised the issue to all Shankaracharyas and we will be meeting in New Delhi on April 8 to chalk out a strategy to mobilise support for the people's movement to protect 17,50,000-year-old monument." Before the meeting, the Puri Shankaracharya also convened a meeting of all Hindu organisations at Raipur on April 4 to circulate the message in all parts of the country about the proposed movement to scrap the project.

"I came to know about the plan only on January 21 last. Thereafter, I held discussions with sanths and Hindu organisations as well as President A P J Abdul Kalam on the issue," Shankaracharya said.

The seer said he would attend the final meeting convened by Sringeri Shankaracharya at Bangalore in May where a clear picture on the movement would emerge. The Shankaracharya of Dwaraka would also be present at the meeting, he informed.

Mass movement

Coming down heavily on present UPA Government, Nishcalanand Saraswatee said, "the Government is playing to the tune of foreign and divisive forces. Hurting Hindu sentiments apart, if the particular stretch was dredged, enemy countries would get easy access to our southern lands." He demanded the canal project be scrapped immediately.

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