The Hindu : Front Page : Scrap Ram Sethu project, demands VHP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 31, 2007
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Front Page

Scrap Ram Sethu project, demands VHP

Staff Reporter

Threatens to launch nationwide campaign against the project

— Photo: R.V. Moorthy

Expressing solidarity: BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Prakash Javadekar at a conference organised by Rameswaram Ram Sethu Raksha Manch in New Delhi on Sunday.

NEW DELHI: A large number of supporters of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindu organisations assembled at the Swarna Jayanti Park here on Sunday seeking scrapping of the controversial Ram Sethu project and demanding that the Sethu be declared a national heritage.

Addressing the gathering, VHP international general secretary Praveen Togadia threatened that his organisation would launch a nationwide campaign against the “anti-Hindu” project if the government failed to change its stand.

“The Union government is required to submit an affidavit in the Supreme Court on January 16 and if it decides to support the project, a nationwide campaign will be launched against the anti-Hindu government. Every village of this country will be converted into Ayodhya and a war will be declared on the government.”

“We do not want to politicise the Ram Sethu issue and take political mileage out of it. But if the Union government does not change its stance on the emotive issue it will be thrown out of power in the coming elections. We want the government to respect the religious feelings of crores of Hindus and declare the Sethu a national heritage and Rameshwaram a holy city,” he added.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K.C. Sudarshan said: “The government’s claim that the project will save money and time is completely baseless. On the other hand, any damage to the Sethu will increase the danger of tsunami in coastal areas, harm the economic interests of poor fishermen and increase the security threat to India. Actually, the Congress fears that the DMK may withdraw support to its coalition government if it scraps the project and is thus playing with the religious sentiments of crores of Hindus.”

Calling upon people of all communities to support its stand on the Ram Sethu issue, the party’s national president Ashok Singhal said Ram was a unifying force. “Those who have embraced other religions should also support us on the Ram Sethu issue as it is Ram who binds the whole country together.”

Several senior BJP leaders including Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Prem Kumar Dhumal, Vasundhra Raje, Shivraj Singh Chauhan,Vijay Goel and Jagdish Mukhi were also present.

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