The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Swamy files PIL plea over "Rama Sethu" issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Swamy files PIL plea over "Rama Sethu" issue

Special Correspondent

Seeks to restrain the Centre from causing damage to the bridge

CHENNAI: Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy has filed a public interest litigation petition in the Madras High Court to restrain the Centre from in any manner causing damage to the "Rama Sethu" while implementing the Sethusamudram Canal Project.

In another petition, he prayed for a direction to the Centre to investigate the origin and history of Rama Sethu/Adam's Bridge and consequently declare it as a monument of national importance.

Relying on references in the Ramayana and a NASA study, Dr. Swamy contended that it had been established that the bridge was not a natural formation but was a "deliberately constructed bridge by placing shoal stones in a bridge formation." He denied that `Rama Sethu' was either imaginary or mythical, and said the Government of India and the Archaeological Survey of India had not undertaken any official study about the bridge and its origin.

The Centre and its agencies were bound by Article 49 of the Constitution as well as the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 to protect from destruction of Adam's Bridge known as `Rama Sethu', he said, adding, "hence the decision to proceed with the project by demolishing the Sethu is violative of the provisions of the Constitution and the statute." Maintaining that it was not his intention to stop the project, Dr. Swamy said it should be carried out without affecting the existing `Rama Sethu.' He wanted the court to restrain the authorities from demolishing or damaging the bridge pending disposal of the petition.

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